


Re:miniscent

by OfWhelpsAndWizards



Category: Tokyo Ghoul, Tokyo Ghoul:re
Genre: 11 - Freeform, 30 day writing challenge, Amnesia, Amnesiac Character, Betrayal, But not forgotten., Coffee, Day 10, Day 20, Day 21, Day 23, Day 24, Day 25, Day 26, Day 9, Day Five, Day Four, Day Six, Devotion, Extermination Tsukiyama, F/M, Family, Fate, Genderqueer Character, Hamburger Flavored Potato Chips, Hinted Relationships, Hurt, I will keep continuing this until it is done., Internal conversations, Loss, Love, M/M, Mitsuki is the only one with his priorities in order, Multiple Personalities, On hiatus for two years, One-Sided Attraction, One-Sided Relationship, Pain is unavoidable, Phsychology, Quinx, Quinx family, Rewrite, Saiko is basically a cat, Shiro Kaneki - Freeform, Shizaru's not that much better, Split Personalities, This is Tokyo Ghoul, Torture, Urie's wonderful use of language skills, ayahina, bookstore dates, curse words, day 22, devotion to an unhealthy level, long fic, loss of family, mama haise, mental recovery, multiple POVs, physical recovery, white haired Kaneki
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-01-15
Updated: 2016-11-27
Packaged: 2018-05-14 04:46:59
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 16
Words: 28,073
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5730058
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/OfWhelpsAndWizards/pseuds/OfWhelpsAndWizards
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>What could have happened during the Tsukiyama Extermination Arc.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. First (?) Meeting

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Shuu is a classy gentleman who woos the other gentlemen, much to Kanae's discontent. Meanwhile Haise wonders who this potential stalker is, where he came from, what Arima is planning, and just why there are hamburger flavored potato chips.

Re:miniscent 

It was so unreal, but it was the lithe half ghoul's oddities which attracted Tsukiyama Shuu's wandering eyes from the beginning. A fluctuating creature of beauty, carnage, kindness, and brutality. To the gourmet, he could only compare the object of his attention as a fine wine that only grew better with time and doting. Then, as the months became years, the purple haired ghoul found himself growing attached to this budding flower – and as the half ghoul, which shouldn’t of even existed, stood before him one last time, the heir was baffled by his own reaction. Why should he cry, a man who had never found it in him to care before he met this special person? How could someone like Kaneki influence Shuu of all people into acts of kindness. How dare this man go off and die, so soon after the gourmet found it within himself to admit he was not playing with his food, but had his heart toyed with instead? It was baffling, but a dead man stood before him. True as the words from little Hori's lips.

Despite his poor state of health, Tsukiyama Shuu could still smell the alluring scent of Kaneki Ken. A smell which stuck between moldy books, clinical soap, and exhaustion. He was right there, in front of Shuu, the later barely able to contain himself. 'Calmato, calmato. You don't want to scare him off this time.' Taking in a deep breath he prepared to quietly roll his wheelchair over, and introduce himself with as much finesse as he exhibited upon their first meeting. He was a classy gentleman after all. Reaching a hand out, he shuffled in his wheelchair’s constraints.

"Sir, do you require my help?” Asked Kanae, of course Shuu would run to this phantom that would appear and vanish at a moment’s notice; of course, Shuu would not see the stability Kanae offered him. Of course, Kanae surmised, what could they offer someone like Shuu? The servant seethed silently, why did both of them choose a hopeless love? Was it even a love broiling inside their aesthetic hearts, or a gross infatuation akin to weeds clotting the soil of a once lush garden? 

“No, I’m sure I can manage Kanae!” Shuu smiled, oblivious to Kanae’s persisting internal dilemma. “I don’t want him to think of me like a cripple and take pity on me. While I am physically at a disadvantage right now, I don’t want that to show. He’s always been too kind, and I am capable in my own right.” With rolling eyes Kanae released the wheelchair's handles, allowing the older ghoul to make his way over to the investigators. 

'Please be safe.' Kanae thought.

As expected, Shuu proceeded to race over at full speed toward his target; like a hound after a fox, the gourmet quickly lost his decorum. He rolled as fast as he could towards the one-eyed ghoul, he exhibited all the grave and poise of a drugged hippopotamus on a skateboard. Breaking to a stop not five feet from the Quinx, the heir fell from his wheelchair, face first, and gained a nice view of both the pavement and Ken’s leather shoes. Looking up into the bewildered eyes of the inspector (the man looked so much like him, and the smell was so divine it could only be him!), he blanked on what he could use as a conversation starter. 

“Nice day, isn’t it?” Wonderful Shuu, wonderful, he could almost feel Kanae’s eyes bearing down upon him. Real classy flower man. 

Haise Sasaki was a simple man. He raised a group of emotionally troubled adolescents which bore the scares of their various childhoods as best they could, was a half ghoul (he preferred Quinx) who survived off hand out provided by the Doves so long as he was useful, and killed ghouls for both a living and to find his lost memories. So naturally, being a man of complete normalcy, he was surprised when an individual looking like he needed to be institutionalized nearly ran him over with a wheelchair and almost began crying at his feet. On top of that, only to say the equivalent of ‘Wow, what fine weather we’re having.’ With his lip curling back in suspense, he decided there was no way to get out of this without interacting with this strange man. 

"Um, hello. I can help to direct you to the nearest urgent care facility, you took quite a tumble. Who are you exactly?" He was by a hospital, maybe this was a patient? At his words, the purple haired man beneath him tensed up, and looking quite humiliated gave his response. 

"My apologies mi amour, but I was so overcome when I saw you that I lost myself;" looking over at the book in Haise's hand, he continued "Do you like Tatsuki Sen's works? Black Eyed Goat is my favorite. But of course, her other works are indeed worthy of praise, especially- " Haise could only stare blankly as the man droned on and on. Just who was this person? Why did he keep talking? Would anyone mind if he just left? Probably not.

'Ah, how reminiscent of days long past, our beginning!’ Shuu smiled, talking avidly about the novel as he imagined what could be now that he had found his love again. This time he would keep the trust Kaneki would bestow upon him, that was the one thing holding back their relation! No ghoul restaurants, no restaurants at all! They’d go Dutch! This was going to be all coffee houses, flower shops, and book stores from here on out! And maybe a clothing store, the white coat on a ghoul who sought to bring understanding between the two species was too ironic on his precious ‘Kaneki-kun.' Speaking of which, he seemed to be very interested in Shuu’s recommended book list- at least from the heir’s perspective.

How did this man know about his reading interests? The title of his newest novel was covered by his arm. The man’s Italian terms were not completely lost on Haise, and the Quinx was quite worried over this stranger’s insistence on calling him ‘my love.’ Still, this likely stalker deserved an answer for his knowledge of Haise’s favorite author. That’s dedication right there. Perhaps he was simply a fan of Sen, after all patients had a lot of free time to read. "While I like Tatsuki Sen's works, I feel as if I have read each novel before. The plot twists almost never surprise me, and her view on the world is so sad. I worry for her, especially her life as a child. Those views on friendships from Scarlet Flower were so cynical, her take on family life so toxic in nature." 

'Kaneki-kun does not remember me, but the plot of his most memorable book? Ah, Kaneki-kun you'll cause my heart to break.' “I must agree, she did have nasty views on why people are kind to one another- I myself might had agreed with her conclusion that humans act soley for themselves, but!” With a flourish of his arms, he smiled, “Anyone is capable of change given the time! Sometimes, a little kindness is all it takes, right Kanae?” Cutting off his monologue upon noticing the scene he was causing right outside the CCG building, Shuu decided to wrap things up. This was by no means hastened by his cousin’s deadly expression. Obviously, someone was miffed about something. Perhaps he did not like Tatsuki Sen? Shuu didn’t know. "Mon cher, do you want to go to a bookstore later this week? I promise a wonderful time, and your pick of the store! Anyone with such an analytical mind should have a new book they love, always with increasing complexity!" 

Books. This man was offering to buy him books. An offer to go to a fancy dinner place might have been turned down, but for Haise, it was too tempting to pass up.

’This man may know about his past; so many strange people had been popping up, I’d be a fool to say no.’ A voice echoed in his mind.

’And there was the promise of books!’ It came once more. It took no further prompting than that, the sincerity of that voice so him. 

"Yes, I would. You don't mind if we don't stop to get anything to eat, do you?" It would be rather late in the evening, so it’d be sweet to stop by a food stand along the way. Tokyo’s many StreetSide restaurants would be an excellent venue to discuss literary intrigue.

"I am going through physical therapy at the moment, and so only eat the foods recommended by my doctor. How about the bookstore in Shingawa?" So, the CCG’s version of Ken still could not eat human food, interesting! 

"Good Day Books?" He had heard of that spot before, often having run ins with more conservative people. The store sold banned books with pride, often in different languages so people could translate directly from the source. For many it was the only way to read certain novels, not having the funds to send away for a special print. Their activism warmed Haise’s heart, even as a Dove whose organization controlled media outlets within the city. 

"Yes, that one." To Shuu, that particular bookstore carried novels of all genres in a plethora of languages. It had been useful for helping Kanae learn to read Japanese, who tended to be a more studious learner. And, of course, the owners never asked questions. 

"Alright, I get off of work around five thirty; I'll meet you at six. How about Friday?" 

“I’ll be looking forward to it, mi amour.” ‘Still got it!’ Shuu thought to himself. Walking over to the group Kanae made himself noted as he helped Shuu into the wheelchair, and together they left the CCG's parking lot. Kanae looked down to the man he loved. 

"Are you sure he is the same man, Tsukiyama-San?" Knowing the answer before it was asked, Kanae internally cursed. 

"I am sure of it, Kanae. With all my heart, I am thankful that somewhere, some deity has seen it in them to favor me." With that they went back home to the Tsukiyama manor. 

'Hmm… I forgot to ask him his name. How strange of me.' Haise thought to himself. ‘Oh well, I’ll find out soon enough.’ Passing by a corner store, he paused in the window, bright pink canisters on display. ‘Still can never be too careful.’ He entered the supply store, Saiko following a few paces behind him. 

………………

"Hey, mamma, who was that sickly-looking man?" Saiko asked smiling so her big chubby cheeks showed her dimples despite her baby fat. 

"No one of importance, I am sure." Haise ruffled her hair. He was happy to have someone with him during the day, while the other Q’s waited out their appointments with their individual doctors, the two Q’s lucky enough to escape that visit stopped by a local coffee house. Popping a few candies picked up at the supply store into her mouth, Saiko quietly played on her phone while Haise read the news. There was an increasing number of ghoul attacks recently. It was unnerving, especially so soon after the Nuts case and the auction.

After a few more minutes of drinking bean juice and furious texting on Saiko’s part, the bell above the café’s door rang, signaling the arrival of new patrons. “Hey guys!” She called out, “How was the appointment? Don’t tell me, Urie won again didn’t he?” Saiko’s bubbly greeting went unnoticed, the three Q’s bringing a ruckus with them much to the dismay of the café’s staff. Urie and Shirazu were caught up in an argument with two CDs in hand. Mitsuki looked between the two as he tried to mediate the ‘passionate discussion’ over which pop band was better. 

“Guys?” Saiko asked, raising an eyebrow in mirth. Seriously, these nerds! 

“For someone who has such a taste in pop lyrics, certainly you can’t just disregard something because you don’t like the beat! It’s in the message!” Shirazu bemoaned. 

“Guys?” The bluenette asked once more. She had important details to share, that’s why she called them here! The guys kept arguing, shifting from J Pop to K Pop, and American song writers. Shirazu embracing the foreign music and Urie talking about how Sid should receive more recognition as a grunge metal band in Japan. Trying to Join in, Mitsuki offered a few YouTube personalities- only to be hastily shut down. 

“I can and I will dislike music that focuses mostly on superficial music videos and idol culture. As a person who strives for perfection, any artist held back by their producers in exchange for fame or money is not producing art but drivel. You cannot be pushing your boundaries if you always stay within societies’ limits!” 

“DO YOU WANT TO HEAR THE BIG FAT JUICY GOSSIP, YES OR NO?” She cried, losing her patience. Dropping her phone in her excitement, a squeal of pain escaped Saiko as she dove for the shattered remains of her life. 

“What’s her problem?” Urie asked. A general look of nonchalance about him. 

Hiccupping, she rose from her grave, fingering the screen of her shattered hopes and dreams. “Ma-mamma managed to get a d-d-date!” 

“What really?” Shirazu asked. “Get it boss-man!” He cried, jumping over to Haise to give him a high five. 

shrinking in on himself, the thirty-year-old tried his best to disappear from existence. The eyes of the entire coffee house upon him, at four PM, on a Tuesday afternoon. “It’s not like that, really.” He mumbled. 

"But Sassan you're blushing!" Exclaimed Shirazu as Urie, and Mitsuki choose to stay out of the oncoming whirlwind of questions that he would transform into. 

"Thank goodness for earbuds." Urie drowned out Saiko's hyperventilating, and Shirazu’s cackles. His music leaking from his own small mobile device, kept in pristine condition because he stayed out of this.

"We are just going to a bookstore and-" Trying to calm the bluenett down at this time was moot point. With a manic grin, she began planning what should be done for mamma’s big 'date' on Friday. Shirazu was all over that too, before he noticed the pink canister attached to Haise’s bag.

It would be ten minutes until the squad was able to calm Saiko down with hamburger flavored potato chips purchased from the staff which just wanted them out by that point, and video games from Shirazu’s phone. Urie took his earbuds out, halfway sure that he would not have to deal with illogical displays of emotion so soon after Saiko's last outburst. "Oh yeah,” he looked over to Haise. “Arima wanted to see you, it was urgent. Whoops." 

"Alright, thank you Urie." Silently, the white-haired half ghoul lamented himself. ‘Could have told me before I walked halfway home.’ 

"Don't thank me; I'm only doing my job unlike you out here flirting with crazies from the medical ward."

Ignoring Urie's perpetual abrasive attitude, Haise made the thirty minute trek bac to the CCG building. Ascending a flight of stairs, entering a train, getting off at the right terminal, and showed his pass to the security guard at the door Entering the elevator, he punched in the code to Arima's special level of the building, and went down three sparsely furnished hallways of marble and lacquered floors until he came to Arima's office. ‘Being number one gets you nice things,’ a part of him said in a sing song voice. 

"Hello, Inspector Sasaki. We have a new lead from the Ghoul Auction's case. One, or more, of the ghouls present at the auction was of the Tsukiyama family." The Auction, it still left a poor taste in Sasaki's mouth. Because it was the only plan they had, Mitsuki had to be vulnerable, because of one ghoul his fears came back to haunt him with a passion. Years of trauma relived in one night. No one hurt his Qs. Closing his yes, Haise braced himself as Arima continued "Are you up for the challenge Inspector Sasaki?" 

Weighing his options, Sasaki thought about the damages they had recently suffered, and the time limit he had to gain information from the female ghoul aquired at the Auction. "Well, Sir, we did want some time off since members of my team were wounded in the raid, and-" Arima's quinke shot up, level to Haise's right eyeball, freezing the half ghoul on the spot. 

"It was not a question, but a warning. You are in no place to ask for anything after taking in that female ghoul, Ms. Fueguchi into arrest. We are an organization which kills on sight, we do not show pity." Well that was decided. Nodding at the menacing man's cold aura, Arima was happy with Haise's submission. "Welcome to Operation Exterminate Tsukiyama." 


	2. Re:Consider

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sasaki Haise visits a ghoul which he met during the auction investigation. Does she know answers about this mystery man?

Re:consider

The next few days held a series of rather strange occurrences for the capable inspector and his charges. Sometimes the phone would ring, but for whoever answered the phone nobody on the other end would reply. Small little gift wrapped packages would appear outside the apartment door filled with exotic coffees and spices, with no return address. It was unsettling, but nearly every part of the man he had agreed to an outing with seemed to be at this point.

It could only be the work of him. Haise still lacked a name for the mystery man, but he had two reasons to not issue a police warrant for his “date” (Haise kept telling himself that their planned outing was out of pity for the poor man, and the necessity of information). If the CCG found the man, and he did turn out to be a person from Sasaki’s past (a quick Google search had translated ‘Mi amor’ to ‘my love;’ even insane people don’t do that to strangers, right?), the CCG would be quick to eliminate the threat. He could not save another ghoul, he saved Hinami, his one card left his hand when she entered his life. 

Besides, the gifts made at least one person happy. 

Every time a new package would appear in front of the door Saiko would squeal and claim her ‘mamma’ had found a hopeless romantic, while Shirazu would threaten the guy's health. "You keep that pepper spray on you, please Sassan," the young man would beg. Mitsuki would comment on whether or not they were being watched, nerves on end. Urie would already be drinking the coffee gifted to Sasaki Haise, no remorse in his eyes. With the appearance of Mr. Stalker in his life, he had to be sure if he was meeting with friend or foe. Was this man watching him and his charges out of adoration, or was there a darker motive for separating Sasaki from his team for one night? 

Only one person could be trusted with this new information within the CCG’s walls. A person who Sasaki himself felt an overwhelming feeling to protect: Hinami Fueguchi. Saving her life could not of just been an impulse, and with another stranger claiming to know him popping out of the blue the two must be connected. “Excuse me; I have to go get something from my room. You guys should get ready to depart.” 

“Alright, mamma.” Saiko smiled, pulling on cat rain boots that were definitely not work-place appropriate. 

“I’ll be by the door.” Mitsuki finished packing lunches, a sad smile on his face. Sasaki promised himself to make the Auction up to Mitsuki, no matter what. 

“One second.” Shirazu was brushing his mangy hair, a look of apathy from Urie directed upon him. “Maybe I should just cut it all off…”

“Don’t you dare.” While not many could hear Kuki Urie’s hushed tones, Sasaki smiled. What his co-workers did not know he knew wouldn’t cause uproar. 

In his bedroom desk stood three empty tapes with false time frames on them, a bit of tweaking and it would fool even the best of security guards. Pocketing the small cassettes Sasaki was thankful for Juzo Suzuya’s prank six months ago, without it he would not know of this tactical error within the CCG's monitoring system. 

“Is everyone ready?” Throwing on his white trench coat and grabbing an umbrella, Sasaki and his ‘little ducklings’ ventured into the grey urban buildings of Tokyo one by one, rainwater turning the streets into a reflective glassy sky. 

Sasaki and his subordinates would take different trains today, Urie having decided that after the Auction’s 'shitty performance' the group was in desperate need of training. Waving to his charges as they were carried into the distance and the train clacked along the tracks Sasaki could not suppress a shiver. “It’s just cold out.” Glancing around the terminal only a few people waited for trains. ‘No one is watching you.’ A few more minutes and a new cart pulled in, nondescript words that even the best listeners would find indiscernible blared from the speakers. Knowing this to be his train Sasaki hopped on, unaware of the small camera pointed upon him, pictures snapping all the while. 

Sasaki should trust his instincts more often. 

His stop was upon him soon enough, and Sasaki Haise took in a deep breath of fresh air riddled with bleach and similar chemicals. The CCG's ghoul containment block was not only escape proof, but very clean. This was because of two reasons, the ghouls were not treated well (why would they, these creatures were already sentenced to death), and that sometimes an employee would be bringing in rations from morgue donations. Nothing was worse to deal with than a starving ghoul which could nearly taste its next meal. Hopefully Hinami Fueguchi would still be in the same state the investigator left her in when she entered custody of the CCG. 

Why did he feel a tug in his heart saying that? It hurt to imagine that she could be hurting, almost as if she were a member of his Qs. The need to protect Hinami came like the need to encourage Mitsuki’s shy soul, to smile at Saiko’s imaginative outbursts, train Urie to become a fighter his team could rely on, and teach Shirazu about the importance of leadership. 

Continuing towards the interrogation room, Haise gave the proper paper work to be admitted for a thirty minute meeting with Hinami. Unfortunately, she had only a little more than two weeks on her time card. After that time was up, she would be executed. 

The thought hurt. It was like one of his own children were being taken from his arms. p>

Entering the cell, he did not go to the trouble of closing the meal hatch in the room's window; this hatch was often used to tempt a ghoul into releasing information with the promise of a quick meal. Still, there were other security measures to worry about. He had made sure to know where each surveillance camera was over the last few visits; now he could speak freely knowing he could alter the tapes.

"Haise-nii, good morning! I was wondering when you were going to visit." How someone on borrowed time smile like the sun could was shining? When their own end could be put on a countdown clock? ”Oops; my apologies. Mr. Sasaki.” 

"Good morning to you as well, Ms. Fueguchi." Her smile faded a bit, a tinge of sadness marring her lovely face. Such a face should only know smiles. 

"How are you doing? You've probably been real busy lately." ‘I should be protecting you.’ Looking at the papers Haise brought with him, she spied a recently finished novel. "What book is that?" 

"One question at a time, and aren't I the one on the interrogator side of this?" Sasaki started with an obviously fake serious tone. Giggling, Hinami quieted herself. 

"To answer your latter question, it is a novel by Tatsuki Sen which I just finished. You mentioned your brother loved the author, so I picked up a copy. The plot and characters were very complex, and struck me as profound in their own rights. However, it reminded me of something I had seen before, and thus felt a bit cliché. Nothing really surprised me.”

“You know, I learned to read from one of her books.” She cut in abruptly, an enthusiastic tone taking hold of her. “I had so many problems going into it, and felt that I was too old at the time to learn something like reading… Too old to read at only twelve years old." She chuckled, her eyes full of remorse. "I was so lucky I had such a patient teacher.” Looking up, she smiled, returning to the present. “I used one of her books to teach my boyfriend to read, although he says it’s silly and a waste of time.” Sasaki allowed her this moment; a reminiscent sigh came from the ghoul, who beamed brightly. “Sorry for interrupting you, Mr. Sasaki.” 

"To answer the former, I met a man with purple hair on Monday; a strange man of eccentric taste and excitability." At this Himami looked up. “He’s been leaving gifts for me, and invading my personal space far too often.” Her head shook at this, and all doubt that this man was just another medical ward escapee was erased. He was from his past, and whoever this person was Sasaki was sure he’d be able to grill information from. 

"Mr. Sasaki! I'm sorry, but I can't answer this question!” Hinami’s voice wavered, as if she had awoken from a nightmare. “I love both of you too much to betray either of you!" At this she covered her mouth. She had already answered a number of questions.

"So, he is a ghoul. Seems like your brother had quite a taste in friends. Don't worry, I won't attack him unless he harms my friends or me." ‘Or to say, my involvements with dangerous people lead me to the life I am living today…’

He could not let the CCG know about the mystery ghoul if he was to find his memories. They could not find out about this confrontation with Hinami Fueguchi. “Are you sure you cannot provide me his name?” She shook her dead violently, brown hair swishing like a dancer’s skirt in a pirouette. Sasaki longed to reach a hand through the bullet proof glass enhanced with quinke-steel, but refrained from consoling the poor girl. Any handprints would be a signal to janitors of the CCG.

"Haise-nii?" She had reverted to calling him by an honorific he did not deserve, that was for family, not captors.

"Yes, Ms. Hinami?" Sasaki tore the cover off of the Tatsuki Sen book, placing it in his coat pocket where the novel once resided. 

"Tell the purple haired man that I say hello. He lost a part of himself when my brother left.” She eyed the cameras wearily, not trusting that her words were not shared to unwanted ears.

"Alright, Ms. Hinami." Slipping the book through the hatch, it was in unspoken rule that she was to dispose of the gifts he brought after reading them. Maybe she ate them, maybe she shredded them and placed the stolen words into her trash bin, perhaps she flushed them when the ghouls were allowed to clean themselves; either way no one could know of these simple kindnesses. "Also, Hinami-chan," The girl looked up to Haise, "Don't worry about this conversation." Taking out prerecorded video cassettes Haise made sure to override the last thirty minutes. The security staff had grown lazy in their jobs, for what investigator would help a ghoul?

Waving goodbye to her, he exited the cell. As he left he motioned for the guards to take Hinami back to her quarters. Checking his watch, he knew he had to make it back to the apartment and put on less auspicious clothes. 

He had only a few days to plan his ‘date’ after all.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Haise never abandoned Hinami, he's still not heartless. He is waiting to act, those who are precious could be lost with brash actions. If he doesn't act soon however, which one shall die? The man, the woman, or him? 
> 
> *cracks knuckles*


	3. Re:Read

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bookstore dates and lost pasts.

Re:read

"What do people even wear on dates anyway!" Haise had come to the conclusion that it was alarming how business casual his wardrobe was. Not one pair of regular slacks, all he had for lounging was a (sizable) collection of sweaters. It was already five fifteen and he still was convinced he had to comb his hair again. 

The mystery ghoul appeared to have affluent tastes, even looking sick as he was upon meeting Sasaki his suit matched his lapel, his lapel matched his shoes, his shoes matched his wheelchair, and his wheelchair complemented the servant (?) pushing it along the busy streets of Tokyo. Sasako knew the art of deceit, and feminine clothes were much easier to match in a way pleasing to the eyes. Sasaki only hoped that he’d be as charming in his own skin, that the ghoul would not understand that Sasaki only went on the date for information. 

Akira was right; he was kind and cruel all at the same time. 

Settling on a black sweater (what did he own that wasn't black, grey, or white?), a pair of black dress pants, brown loafers, and a grey trench coat Haise decided he was presentable. Looking one last time in the mirror, Sasaki frowned at his hair; nothing could be done to cover the black patch from creeping down his scalp. He could bleach it, but somehow it held a feeling of warmth. A head of yellow with a brown patch much like his own, a person who followed the light like a sunflower. Maybe this blonde was some actor or whatever; it would explain the unusual outfits the figure wore in shrouded memories. 

Haise exited the bedroom making his way to the kitchen. Taking a ham out of the oven (it had been cooling all day), and putting on a large pot of coffee. Most of the Quinx liked ham, and it set coworkers on edge at times. Was it because pig was the closest thing to human meat in taste? Were they devolving into ghouls, or was it simply the appeal trademarked to the candy of meats? Did ghouls just crave the flesh of omnivores? He left out four plates, even though he knew that one would not be used. Urie had not been inclined to eat at family meals since he asked about applying for the experimental surgery. 

‘Training is not enough, I need more power!’ Urie said, holding a permission form out. ‘You will sign this.’ 

‘No, it would be too dangerous for you. Doctor Shiba explained this.’ Before he cold lecture anymore Urie had left the room. Hopefully this was just some form of revenge from the teenager’s standpoint. Hunger strikes were not below Urie, right?

Sasaki should trust his instincts.

Haise looked over at the bookshelf, and pulled out a movie the Quinx had been waiting to see. It was Mitsuki's turn to pick and he wouldn't want to cause trouble so he'd stay quiet otherwise. Next, taking out a sheet of paper and a ball point pen he jotted down instructions for the night. Hopefully Shirazu would take the time to read them. 

That took care of family matters, back to planning. Other than dressing up, what did someone bring to a date? Money he already knew, but should he bring flowers, it was that for the person who asked the other out? Was there date etiquette on what he could and could not ask?

God this was confusing. Sasako could just swish her hips and the entire dancefloor would be a puddle. But then again ‘Mi amour…’ all men could be fools when in love. 

Walking out of the apartment, and heading down the hallway to the stairs; he could hear the voices of the Quinx as they exited the elevator on the other side of the hallway. 'I hope they like dinner.'

A couple flights of stairs stood between Haise and the Tokyo nightlife. 'I wonder if he'll like my opinions on some of the new releases.' Any books he had not read, he had noted quotes of using ‘Good Reads.’ Being well prepared never hindered anyone. Turning off the last stairwell Haise entered, and swiftly exited the lobby before he could be stopped by anyone. The sky was still overcast, the rain never cleared up, only waited. People hustled by in an attempt to escape the oncoming downpour, but Haise walked calmly towards the Shingawa district. After about fifteen minutes of walking he broke out his umbrella, and hoped the mystery man had one as well. Pattering drops became fat and gravid as street lights turned on one by one. People watched their breath disappear into the cool spring air as water pooled at their feet, small mirrors reflecting the sky above. 

Some would call it romantic, that it was a good omen. Couples passed cuddling for warmth, arms interlinked as Sasaki ran towards his destination.

He called it cold. 

Turning right on Yamanote Line he walked another two blocks until he could see the neon signs of Good Day Books. It was an odd store, but it sold English releases not yet translated so it was worthwhile. What caught his attention more was the man under the bookstore's overhang. As Haise approached, he could see the man starring not into space, but had eyes only for him; as if there were no cars, lights, or people in the area. The man was wearing a flamboyantly red and orange sweater with what appeared to be a white button up blouse underneath, his pants were grey and boots red leather. All of this while looking nice on a manakin clashed terribly with his lilac hair and pale skin in the dayglow blue neon store lights. 

"Excuse me, but are you the same person I met outside the CCG?" Haise stepped under the overhang, closing his umbrella and fastening its button release. The man before him looked heavier, healthier than the waif he had met days prior. As if a plague victim got up and began to dance their ring-around-the-rosies away.

"Oui, I am. I may look quite different now, but the prospect of seeing you which aided in my recovery." In truth, Tsukiyama had spent the last week making up for three years of bed rest. From training with Kanae, who was a bit too eager, to eating the tasteless food brought to him, and pushing himself to become well again. He could not be weak this time around; Kaneki was always the one being hurt for others, it was time for him to take a break. Smiling he looked down at the shorter man, shades of gray concealing his figure.

"Um, I don't know how that is possible, but I'm very happy to see you're doing better." In truth the man still looked like he should be at home. The bags under his eyes did nothing for his facial features, and the man looked as if he had not slept in weeks. Sasaki prepared his assault of questions.

If one could only know. 

"By the way, two questions Sir."

"It's Shuu, chiedere e vi sara ricevere, mi cara." All he had to do was distract the little investigator from the more important questions. Such as ‘are you a ghoul?’ That much he could do, while fulfilling his love’s curiosity. 

Besides, if there is one thing Shuu loves, of course less than the person he had the pleasure to stand next to this moment, it was talking about himself. 

"That answers one of my many questions, but how did you know my address? I've been receiving numerous packages from a not so secretive admirer." Shuu blanked a bit.

"Mi dispiace Mr. Haise, you see I only wanted to make a good first impression. I have my methods for finding out more about people, but don't you ever worry about my actions."

”That still does not answer my question, would you-“ Shuu grabbed his hand and pulled him towards the store’s entrance. Any questions asked in here would have to be limited, who knows what could be listening in? The bookstore was quiet, as it was supper time. Shuu made his way to the travel section (who would of thought?), which luckily enough for Haise was near the historical isle. Most looked to be one lengthy thesaurus on the failures of humanity, one after the other until he found one which was a bit out of place. It was a work of historical fiction, placed on the floor by a pile of discarded books. "Hmm, 'The Book Thief’?'" It looked similar to some of Tatsuki Sen's works; a strong protagonist dealing with the sheer cruelty of this world, yet ultimately losing everything even when perceiving. Sasaki may have lied just a bit when he said the authoress’ works brought him no joy, but this sounded new. Picking up the novel Haise waltzed over to the travel section where Shuu had amassed a pile of books about Italy, France, and Germany. "Don't tell me all that you've been acting foreign to look cool Shuu." ‘He would not be the only one acting.’

Said man blushed a little at the accusation. "Non, I just like to learn more in my spare time, and my younger cousin asked me to pick up a few books for him as well." He shifted from side to side. “When I was younger, I had many tutors, one came from Europe. They left a lasting impression on me, un’impressione durevole.” Now we were getting somewhere. Not many families could afford to hire a tutor, from Europe no less. It was enough that their children could get into college, graduate, and continue the cycle. The mention of college made Sasaki cringe a bit. He could never attend, could he?

"It wasn’t the man with you earlier, was it? He looked far too young to be a tutor.” Haise was drawn back to the memory, a slight, yet masculine figure with lavender hair standing just far enough away as to be unreadable. 

The figure looked like it was in pain. 

"Oui. He is my cousin, and I hope you can meet him some time, he puts out a harsh attitude, but is quite kind once you get to know him." 

" I'm glad you have someone who could help you like that. Perhaps we can meet up again as a group?" Shuu smiled at that, a mixture of happiness towards two of the most important people in his world. He could bring this ‘Sasaki’ into his life, his family. His father would lament the loss of possible future heirs, but Kanae was more than capable of fathering his own children to carry on the family names of Tsukiyama and Rosewald. 

"So, what book were you thinking about getting?" Holding up 'The Book Thief' Sasaki looked for any signs of recognition from Shuu, who simply smiled. "He's a good author; I know you'll like it. It is a real page turner, and the character’s pull you in." As they made their way to the counter, Haise reached for his wallet. "Non, let me Ken-“ Shuu stopped, “Haise- if I may call you that."

"Well, I am using your name, why not do the same?" Inside his mind Tsukiyama Shuu was convinced this was his lucky day, and his world torn asunder was once again in harmony. "You don't have to pay for the book, I am perfectly capable of providing for myself," huffed the shorter in indignation. 

"Call it even for me looking into where you lived. Last thing I would want from you is a court order." The man, in his own way, was charming. Like a dog begging to come inside at night he scratched, and scratched at the door until his owner would let him back inside to sleep on the bed. 

"You seem like a person who would have one." The man, overall still seemed a bit off. Perhaps it was the way he said ‘You may ask anything,’ then revoked that right like a child changing a game’s rules. 

Perhaps it was matching his hair color to that garish ensemble. 

"Ah, you wound me Haise!" Placing a hand on his heart and fanning his face with the other hand, he made quite the spectacle. Haise let out a small laugh, the woman behind the counter could only watch this unfold in front of her. The look on her face was easy enough to read, ‘I’m not paid enough to witness all these public displays of affection, please buy your books and leave.’ Realizing once again where he was, Shuu hastily paid for the pile of books, awkwardly bumbling as he did so. Exiting the bookstore, the night had tired the rain from the clouds, a night sky of stars reflected in the chilled water on the cement streets. The slippery surface caused the two to stumble a bit on the way out, but it proved to be fun to race in (only for one street though, there were too many cars about for grown men to behave so). As they walked, they stopped at a coffee stand and ordered two espressos. The coffee was bitter; it warmed the two up in the cold weather, a stimulant to help keep them going on the way home. 

The two left Shingawa district to go window shopping. The Christmas lights had been taken down to make room for Valentine's goods. Although it was ethically wrong for large scale corporations to be making a profit off of the love of individuals, Haise found it charming how Shuu would ask him which stuffed animal he liked. ‘Not that he was going to buy one or anything,’ yeah right. The man was honest, yet deceitful, his expressions changing as rapidly as their conversations. Shuu could weave a tale as expertly as he could use a fake accent, the words rolling from his tongue into the night air, clouds of it rising into the sky. These tales were unbelievable, of heroes, villains, damsels who became heroes, family trips to Europe, childhood pastimes. 

“And you would not believe the time I played piano at Palais Garnier, my father had to pull a few strings, and rent the place, but it was so large. Chandeliers hanging from the ceiling, gold encrusted walls as far as the eye can see. A grand stairwell fit for the king of France Himself. I knew I had to impress the crowd, so I played the melancholic concerto No. 23 in A-Major, and mios dio, I swear even Mozart himself would have been pleased! My cousin Kanae aided me by playing in the flutes section, but the crowd cheered for us all.” Sasaki laughed, as tall a tale as it was it seemed there was nothing this man couldn’t do. His words distracted Sasaki, lulling him away from his original intent. Instead of finding out about himself, this man filled that space. They walked together, talking amicable. Work hardly broached the subject, and more than once Shuu slipped a hand around Sasaki to hold both the other close. 

The arm resting on his shoulder brought attention to his wrist, and to Sasaki’s horror time had passed during the night’s fun. "Ten! But how?" How five hours had have passed so soon was unreal. It was unthinkable as to how quickly the time had flown by. They couldn't have been in the store for more than two hours. Had they really been walking that long? Noticing Haise's distress, Shuu piped up. 

"Would you like me to walk you home." The offer was a kind one, with no implications hinted in the voice. It seemed safe enough.

"Alright, you probably know the ways to my apartment “La Chateau” as well as I do." The subtle stalker joke was lost on Shuu. His Kanek- Haise was happy to be in his presence! Haise trusted Shuu to walk him home! Gleeful, Shuu escorted Haise back to his apartment. ‘I thought I was boring you with all those stories. You hardly spoke mi amour.’ Turning down one poorly lit street Shuu could smell numerous ghouls lurking in the shadows. Reaching an arm around Sasaki, Shuu continued to walk in strides. A few feet back however, a trashcan could be heard rattling. ‘How dare these scums even think about his precious person? Any form Kaneki might take, Shuu wanted to be sure that all others knew it was his and his alone. Sending out pheromones which would warn other ghouls to stay away, that this person was his, he continued walking with Haise. Even if he hadn't been on the hunt for a long time, the name Grommet still held a certain power over the lower born ghouls of the 20th and 21st wards. 

Sasaki was shaken from his contentment by the strong scent of a ghoul. Looking up in secrecy, it was apparent by the utterly predatory gaze of Shuu that he was the culprit. How stupid could an investigator be, you cannot let yourself be coerced into naivety around a ghoul! He was around an enemy, a creature which, if given the chance, would tear off his flesh only to watch it grow back and try again. 

Still, the scent was not only associated with warning, it also was reminiscent of a dream long past. It was reminiscent of strange visitors rapping on doors in wee hours of the night, and coffee shop specialties. Shuu seemed honest about his feelings. What bothered him was that scent was familiar. It sent a shiver down his spine, something that did not go unnoticed by Shuu. 

"Haise, are you cold?" A predatory gaze changed to one of genuine concern, one might think that Sasaki was dying from the look on Shuu’s face. 

"No, just thinking." An understatement at best. He had failed in his personal mission, and who could say there would be more “dates”? He had failed at attaining necessary information which the CCG, Hinami Fueguchi, and now Shuu were unable to give. Although for the latter, it may just be “unwilling.”

"We're almost to your apartment." Sinking into his trench coat Sasaki took a moment to ponder on the wired events of the last month. The Serpent case, the Auction, the way Hinami stayed behind to protect him even when it meant her capture by the CCG, and how Shuu. 

Who was Shuu?

It felt natural to be standing by his side, and breathing in his scent. This overwhelming deja'u was beginning to take its toll on him. 

"Here we are." It seemed like this one excursion was a break from reality. They were not ghoul and investigator, but two men close to becoming ‘a bit too old to be bachelors’ on the town. Once he let go of Shuu's hand he would go to bed, wake up the next morning, and go to his job. He might even get a case leading to Shuu. Pulling out his keys, Haise turned to Shuu, who handed the other’s umbrella over like a sacred relic. Sasaki smiled at the kind gesture. 

”You can keep it if you like,” he looked up at the starlight, and clouds on the horizon, faint twinkles could be seen in the puddles dotting the street around ‘La Chateau.’ “It may rain again soon, and you waited under that overhang for God-knows how long.” 

Shuu beamed, takin the handle of the umbrella and twirling it like a baton. “Why thank you, as a gift from such a lovely gentleman, I shall treasure it.” 

That should have been where it ended. 

"Thank you for tonight, I had a great time." As Sasaki Haise turned to open the door, his arm was grabbed by a surprisingly strong, but not bruising grip. Turning around, a pained look was on Shuu’s face.

"Wait." Haise listened. "I do not want this to end. Would you like to go out on another date?" The promise of an unknown number of dates, could he endanger this man in such a manner?

This could cost him his job, Hinami's life, his life, Shuu's life, Shuu’s family; but Haise just wanted to be selfish for once. 

"When?" 

...........................……………………………

That night, Haise dreamed of a cheap alabaster motel, autumn nights, a little girl asking for a haircut, a large man talking about his fear of the horror genera, and a lilac haired man who fought bedside him under the claim of motives he had lost long ago.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> (No running in my lobby Haise. )  
> (What a lovely day in the neighborhood, lovely day for a neighbor. Would you be mine, could you be mine, will you be... My Kaneki-kun.)
> 
> What a parallel to their first date, ears ago. Dinner and a show.


	4. Re:Action

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A reaction to last night's date leaves Haise questioning his mental health.

Re:action

"Kaneki-kun, Hinami-chan, Banjo-san, I have returned!" With a flourish Shuu entered the motel room, door banging to the side to make room for the bags her carried. "I come bearing gifts of frankincense and myrrh!" Holding up two bags, one a shoddy dollar store plastic bag, the other a fashionable dress bag displaying the designer name ‘Jacadi Paris’.

’Of course it would be from Paris.’ 

Hinami ran into the room sporting a pixie cut, small bobby pins held her bangs out of their face as she bounced around the small living space like a rabbit. "Oh! Flower-man, look at what big brother did, my hair looks so much nicer!" She twirled like a ballerina, hair lying flat to her face in its short form. Noticing the dress bag (who was going to wear it, Bonjo?), she sat down quietly on a grey, stained couch. 

"Kaneki, you did a great job! Maybe you should do mine as well," said a man with a patterned beard jovially. He laughed boisterously, and filled the room with as much noise as ten people. Shuu took a seat on the couch by a glass coffee table, more than likely it was one he had brought over on a past excursion. They had been moving more furniture into the motel as they became regular guests. The owners did not ask questions, and Aogiri seemed to be quieting down for the time being.

"For Banjo, I have horror movies." Handing the plastic bag to the gentle ghoul, the films proved to be classics; Kill Bill, The Exorcist, The Evil Dead, and Frankenstein. 

"I felt that you could use the culture." Shuu looked at the rough man, and straightened out his polo shirt and long slacks. “Lower born ghouls are lacking in it most often.”

"You cheeky jerk!" Said the man apparently named Banjo. ‘Do I know these people? I know Shuu. The girl looks familiar.’

Sasaki Haise heard someone clap their hands twice, "That's enough you two." Smirking in his direction and looking through him (was that voice his?) Shuu carried on.

"Alright, mi amour. For Hinami, a new dress! A young lady such as you needs new dresses every now and again. You never know, you might meet someone." Shuu pulled out a bright red dress with sequins embellishing the belt line, perfect for a preteen. Not long enough to drag through the guts of any enemies, and not short enough to be above her age. Perfectly sweet, something a person could expect a child to wear at a high society garden party. 

"You sure do know a lot about fashion, maybe you could teach me more sometime?" Hinami looked at the dress. She had just the right headband to go with it too! 

"Kaneki-kun?" 

"Yes, Tsukiyama?" ‘That’s my voice.’ 

"This is my gift for you…" Shuu reached into the plastic bag, something in dark leather was on a coat hanger. It looked to be a- 

*Beep, beep, beep, beep, beep, beep, beep* 

Bolting upright in his bed, Haise took in the dream. Or, was it something else. Haise knew (from long lectures from Akira) that at least one out of ten people you know will appear in your dreams at least once. Still, it was too lifelike, vivid, and why would he imagine Hinami as a little girl? Getting out of bed Haise crossed the cold wooden floors of the apartment into the bathroom, and turned on the shower to the highest possible temperature. The room began to heat up with steam, the mirrors taking on a blur akin to his memories. 

He wasn't okay with losing the past twenty some-odd years of his life.

It wasn't alright. 

Turning on the cold water, Haise brushed his teeth, as he did Hinami's words from the previous day came to mind. 'You both mean too much to me to betray either of you!' As he spat out the mint flavored fluoride (which tasted like rotten eggs), stepped into the shower. As he washed his hair, he found his hands to tug on the black patched more, the scrubbing to be more vigorous. Deciding he was clean, Haise stepped out of the shower.

In the mirror he stood.

It wasn't him.

"Give it back!" Startled, Sasaki slipped in the tub. Seconds later there came a knock at the bathroom door. 

"Haise, are you alright? I heard a thud." Ah, Mitsuki the ever-helpful.

"I just slipped on some soap." Good thing there was a door in between them; Haise was a terrible liar when it came to face to face conversations.

"Alright, you didn't get much sleep last night, did you?" 

"The date went well, you can see my new book by my bed. I'll let you read it when I'm done."

"Thank you, I'll go wake the others up. Except Saiko. No one can wake Saiko up." Listening for the telltale patter of feet against woods Haise waited for Mitsuki to leave the area before he tried to exit the shower again. The white haired man was not there, in his place stood Haise. Haise did not know why, but he felt scared of that man who seemed to move with an air of confidence. Acting that way would one day get him killed, man is mortal. Leaving the bathroom, skin red from heat and scrubbing, Haise saw the Quinx had about an hour to be at the station to reach the CCG building. Dressing himself in his regular work uniform, Haise left the bedroom for the kitchen. 

Mitsuki was making eggs for everyone.

Shizaru was trying to cook pancakes.

Kuki was burning toast.

Saiko was asleep on the couch curled up in a blanket, clothes hastily thrown on.

Maybe it all was alright. Maybe there was no conspiracy. Maybe it was all just in his head. 'I won't stay in here forever...'

"Hmm?"

"Oh, we're making breakfast today boss!" Shizaru smiled showing all his shark-like teeth. "If only we had toast..." 

"Hey, shut the fuck up asshole." 

"Classic Urie." 

"I'll set the table." Grabbing five plates, knives, forks, and spoons, Haise set about the menial task.

Maybe it all was alright. 

The sound of the toaster popping, followed by more cursing echoed from the kitchen.

'I wonder if Hinami is enjoying her morning...' Pale arms fell around his shoulders.

Maybe it wasn't.

‘I don’t want to lose who I used to be, but would remembering kill me?’ 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Would remembering kill me? A line many overlook from Tg:Re chapter 13. You can never get something for nothing, somewhere along the line someone has to pay the price. With these new memories, would Sasaki be able to live the life he is living now? Would it all be lost? Or would a new face, a new incarnation take over.
> 
> Would it kill Sasaki Haise?


	5. Re:Set

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The dead don't come back, but that does not mean they are entirely lost to us.

Re:set

Breakfast went down easily enough (aside from the toast), and Saiko was easily roused with the promise of her favorite cereal brand (Ooh! I want the one which is mostly marshmallows!). The Quinx (except for Sasaki and Urie) sat at their table, chatting, avoiding the topic on each mind. Never one to avoid the blunt point, the sharp truth, it was Kuki Urie who broke the sounds of forks and food by looking Sasaki in the eyes from his seat by the counter.

"So, did you two fuck or what?" He took a long sip of his coffee, the mug hiding a smirk beneath beady black eyes and too-thick eyeliner.

Sasaki choked on his coffee, the sweet mercy of silence gone. "What? That is not a question you ask people!"

"But did ya'?" Shirazu's voice carried over the dining table, a piece of ham skewered on his fork. Mitsuki awkwardly stared away from the group, seeing just how hard he could push on a yolk with his fork before it would pop. Saiko looked up from her phone, sweet music box style sounds coming from the device. 

All eyes, excluding Mitsuki’s, were upon him now. "No, we did not. Who does that on a first date even?" Waving his hand back and forth the Qs leader tried to laugh it off. ‘Oh my God.’

"It's actually quite common for that to happen now, as sad as it is." Mitsuki tried to bring the topic away from Haise, a saint in every right; "It is popular in some groups for friends to casually do it." Shirazu and Urie blushed at that comment, and quieted down without one more word uttered. 

(Mentally, they were screaming.)

"Mamma, did you have a good time?" 'Ah, his precious Saiko, ever the hungry for more rumors to slip her way.' That was not him. It just had his voice.

'Quiet you. It is rude to butt into a conversation.' Was this him talking to himself? Something more malevolent lying in the depths of his subconscious? The day had just started: going crazy was reserved for Thursdays, paperwork deadlines always due on Friday.

'I'm just looking out for those you are casting aside so carelessly.' The voice lolled in its speech, like a wasp buzzing around a sweet drink on a summer’s day.

"Maman?"

'I am casting no one aside, why are you so defensive and analytical about others?' Shut up, this voice was not his, and it certainly wasn’t his conscience.

"Boss?"

'You live in a life so sheltered you no longer worry about your actions. No wonder you only worry about becoming a monster when you already are one.' The voiced paused. ‘We’ve been one for a long time.’

"Obnoxious Jerk?" 

'At least I do not look the part.'the white hair was like moonlight, it fell over pale, emaciated skin. An eye so scarlet and dripping with blood it could be Snow White’s apple, and hair as black as ebony.

"Haise-San?" This time, the voice registered as one not his own, it called out to him with a kindness the monster lacked. If the monster had ever known kindness, it was lacking now.

"Hmm?" The rest of the Quinx looked at Haise as if he were ill. "What, sorry, I spaced out for a second there. Could you repeat yourself Saiko?"

"Haise-san, do you need to stay home today? You've definitely stored up enough sick days to call in." Mitsuki looked at Haise with concern as he placed the last plate from breakfast on the drying rack, coffee mugs sitting in the sink soaking the grimy grits away.

"No, I can't. We have the mission we were assigned occurring in two days. We will be prepped for our positions at the meeting today."

"All the more reason for you to stay home, Sasaki. As much as some of us hate to admit it-" Shirazu looked at Urie with an expression reading ‘Sorry, it’s true,’ "you pull the majority of the weight on this team. It would royally suck if you dropped while surrounded by ghouls." 

"I just don't want to cause any inconveniences to others, so I will be going in to work." Kuki was pointing to the clock on the wall, impatiently moving forward. Seconds, minutes, hours, days; the clock stopped for no one. The Quinx were five minutes late for the train, and those five minutes would cost thirty if they did not hurry up. "Which I appear to already have caused. Let's go."

It began snowing as they made their way out of the apartment towards the train station, the clouds on the horizon last night had been chilled by the early spring air. Winter’s last grasps at survival, some called it. The CCG's uniforms were not only the first line of defense against ghouls, but functionally warm in the cold weather; tying a scarf tight around his neck they rounded corners, and street signs. 'Hmm, that's where Anteiku stood.' The apparition looked sad as Haise looked at the sign reading ‘Department Store, Coming Soon!’ 

'What were the people at Anteiku like?' Was this person Hinami's brother? If so, she had been right about Sasaki being her brother. However much the investigator chose to believe he looked nothing like the ghoul in front of him.

'Can't say. Most, like humans, were self-serving, showing kindness towards others out of guilt, or felt they owed it to someone. Still, we all owe something to somebody, our faults pushing us forward in life as we try to make amends. We wish to have prosperous lives to repay our parents; we wish to be happy for the lovers who stand beside us each day; for those who have given us help, regardless of their own causes, we seek to repay them.' 

Sasaki walked on unhindered by the voice in his head, as unsettling as it was to grow accustomed to. 'You wouldn't have commented on the area if you only had bad memories.' The apparition was still for a moment, allowing Sasaki to walk a few meters ahead of it.

The white haired apparition looked down towards the concrete where the blood of human and ghoul had been spilt not that long ago; 'Some people there were warm, most had flaws, and those which were innocent at the time had developed their own sorrows in time...'

'That's simply a fact of life; pain and suffering occurs, but we must persist.' The Quinx reached the train station.

'Shuu didn't want to.' The apparition said with both contempt and concern. 

’What do you mean?' Haise sat down on a bench, the snow piling up above the overhang. Saiko sat down next to Haise, pulling out her pineapple phone she began playing a game about collecting cats (it's very addictive Mamma!). Mitsuki waited by the transit schedule calculating when the next train would arrive. Shirazu and Urie stood in a corner arguing about the exchange at the breakfast table. 

‘He wanted to give up. To die alongside the one he lost. He was sickly because his family must have been forcing him to live.’ The spirit found sorrowful at this. ‘I meant for him to live when I left him up there, I thought he’d move on.’ 

All they could do was wait for the train to arrive, listen to the Qs as they went about their happy lives. Sasaki didn’t want to think about Shuu in pain, and the phantom seemed to be lost once more.

'Typical.' Neither the phantom, or Sasaki Haise knew who spoke the words.


	6. Re:Group

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mirumo devises a plan to save members of the Tsukiyama household from the Dove's wrath.
> 
> He cannot save all of his family.

Re:Group 

Tsukiyama Shuu was currently the happiest the staff had seen him for the last few years. Gone were the tears, emaciation, and grief. Not only did he have the memories of the night before, a night basking in the glow of Tokyo with his beloved no less; he had all the adorable photos of Sasaki which Hori had taken throughout the week. She wasn’t just a photojournalist, she was a consultant, a detective; which is never a bad thing for a company, an heir, or a friend to have handy. Shuu buzzed about the estate, resting and training as his father wished. The sweet harmonies of piano music drifted from the sun room, and landed upon the ears of a certain servant. Kanae however was not happy, who would be when their crush went back to an ex? Giving orders to the servants, chefs, and gardeners was all Kanae could do to ignore the blatant effect of Sasaki Haise’s wiles upon the young heir. ‘Polish the silver, organize Shuu’s dresser, and schedule Shuu’s appointments with Johannes for the upcoming summer collections…’ They were grueling tasks, and as an heir Kanae did not have to serve the Shuu family. It was a title only in namesake; the CCG would not question a wealthy family taking in an orphan to be raised as a servant. Kanae felt indebted, and thus served. To the man who opened his home, but more so to the man who opened his heart. 

Kanae walked through the sunlit greenhouse, the winter roses in vivid bloom. Their thorns were sharp, but Kanae could not help doting upon each- the roses shared a fate with their tender. Once there had been a lovely greenhouse in Germany, the caring gardeners were parents. The mother and father of three talented children presided over Kanae’s memories, they were a noble people. Romance stories did not often befall ghouls, in a world where it is a struggle to survive many settled for what was available or sold what they had for a meal. Kanae’s parents were a romance of which their children looked up to, a man invited by a business partner to a foreign land, who found refuge in the arms of his associate’s daughter. Emma Von Rosewald was an heiress who presented herself as a dignified lady; Emma cared deeply for her children to the point of self-sacrifice. ‘One day, I want to find someone I’d die to protect as well.’ That person had been found in Shuu, Kanae’s first cousin. It was disgusting, but like a train wreck the ghoul’s eyes could see no one else. Kanae was a pink rose, trained in poise and finesse while living in Germany. Clipping thorns from flowers, Kanae wondered, ‘would it of been different if I was still such a hue?’ A Blue rose meant love and prosperity; it meant an insured family line. ‘Blue roses do not exist in nature.’ Kanae became a blue rose through dyes and pain. A family lost, and only one child left to carry on a name. What is in a name? A family line can only be traced through the existence of the name. The extinction of a family meant one less noble name to be recorded in history. Rosewald would continue, no matter the cost. Generations of rosebushes grew upon each other, each spring smothering the last in new vibrancy. 

Too bad the girl takes the boy’s name. 

A garden grows to reflect the gardener, and the devoted cousin made sure to give Kanae all that was needed; Kanae grew to love Shuu, who cherished and cared for others. He was a wonderful person, and opened up so many opportunities which would have been lost had Kanae stayed in Germany. ‘Would I be as skilled in the flute?’ ‘Would I be getting ready to leave for university?’ Clipping thorns off, Kanae mistakenly maimed the bush, rose petals falling as clippers were pulled free. 

‘Why mush Shuu fall for such a common person?’ It did not matter that Shuu was related, Kanae saw no other way to continue the line and maintain a feeling of self-worth. Seeing Shuu go off into the night set Kanae’s teeth like grinding stones in a quarry. Frowning, Kanae left the green house and moved towards the main hall. Mirumo Tsukiyama scheduled an emergency meeting regarding the recent attack by the CCG in retort to the Ghoul Auction. Rounding a corner, the sound of heels clacking caught up with Kanae, and Matsumae was upon her fellow staff member. 

“Do you know anything about the meeting, Knight?” It was a tense walk to say the least, each professional testing to see how fast the other could go and keep up without running. 

"Not much, I just know it must have to do with our recent involvement in the Auction. You were seen, Murimo was heard, and Doves will come for vengeance." Matsumae, the ever professional teacher of Shuu, just every bit as devoted as Kanae but happily at rest in her current relationship. The Knight of the Tsukiyama Family was a slight woman in her early forties. Not many ghouls were able to attend school, but thanks to the Tsukiyama Company's influence Matsumae was able to tutor not only the heir of such a prestigious company, but enlist intelligent ghoul that could still be saved to the servant’s list. Kanae would be at a loss with higher level Japanese if it wasn't for Shuu and Matsume's combined efforts; so Kanae guessed the woman was okay. 

"We must defeat all which try to oppose the Tsukiyama household, as servants and friends of this kind, eccentric family. The company has shielded us for many years from public eye; I would not be able to rest if my actions brought disaster to those which have taken care of me so generously." They walked in silent agreement, and entered the lavish hall of Mirumo Tsukiyama. Bowing upon entry the two waited to be addressed.

Murimo looked to the window of the great hall, large mansions could be seen down the gravel drive but that was of no intrest to him. “We are watched as I speak.” Pulling a remote from his pocket, a laptop began to replay the newest video uploaded to the CCG’s website. 

The monsters wanted the torture to be for the public eye. Six minutes and thirty seconds became a warning and a lesion for those who stood against humanity in the night. 

"We have lost one of our own.” The president’s face was unreadable, a note crumbled in his shaking hand. Tossing the paper into a close bin he closed the video. “You do not need to see the rest of her suffering. This is a travesty to the house not only because she was a beloved servant with a family, but because they used her.” It was an encrypted laptop, untraceable for even the best of hackers. The servant’s tortured cries rung in Kanae’s head, those were cries similar to siblings asking to be spared. "Now; do we all know why they are targeting the Tsukiyama Corperation, even though many of the investigators are already on our payroll?" 

Kanae knew. The Doves had let one get away, and they could not afford to let the mistake continue. They would weed out unwanted plants from their garden to make the soil more hospitable for the most delicate of flowers. 

"I'm sorry! They saw me at the auction, they realized they missed one and now they're back you finish the job! Mirumo-San, I am a failure at paying you back for all the years you've protected me-" Mirumo raised a hand. A fatherly look upon his face as he cupped the cheek of his nephew.

"Kanae, remember what I said when you came to live with us. You are the son of my sister, and I shall honor her by protecting you. Our bidding war was quite good for conning Big Madame. Without pressuring her into a corner her gladiatorial ring would have had enough profits to boost her human trafficking business to new levels.” He paused for a bit, “Really, more trafficking means more missing persons which means more CCG involvement. We chose the wrong day to take the initiative.” Mirumo tapped his head, "Remember, we all have the family trait, our hair. They could have just as easily targeted me after the raid." 

"Yes, but although you’re a big catch, they’d rather not tempt the economy on taking down one family of ghouls. I made it a deal breaker.” Rising from the bow, Kanae faced Mirumo. “What are your orders?” Matsumae nodded in agreement while handing a tissue to Kanae.

“Indeed, I am willing to sacrifice what is required as well.” 

"Matsumae, you are to protect the weaker house members, and boost security. Kanae, you will make arrangements for Shuu’s transportation in secrecy from the Tsukiyama estate to the Eclipse building. It should be safer for my precious boy there." There was only one person crazier for Shuu than Kanae, the man’s father. The old millionaire doted upon his son, his successor, his little musician. "He will be the new head of family when I am gone, the Rosewalds made the same sacrifice that I myself am now considering." Mirumo walked back to the window, activating his kakugan he surveyed the area; free of human life forms. "In short, if we run we shall be hunted indefinitely, the banks would freeze our accounts, and although strong we are no match for the in the numbers the investigators shall be attacking in. I will be making small withdrawals from the bank under different names to avoid suspicion over the next few days. The inheritance shall be divided up amongst the remaining homes allied to the Tsukiyama Group.” Facing his most trusted servants, the businessman gravely gave his order. “Many servants shall be taken with me. I am sorry Matsumae; we will stay as a diversion, and will be captured or killed by the CCG. It has been an honor to have you as a servant and friend."

“I understand.” The words came out almost in unison. Matsumae and Kanae both would fight for what they believed in. 

They believed in Tsukiyama. 

"Welcome to the Tsukiyama Group." 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> "COLOMBE PER FAVORE LASCIARCI SOLIl, NON SIAMO MANGIME PER UCCELLI , SIAMO PERSONE." Screamed Mirumo out the window.  
> From below Shuu yelled up "Dad, what's made you vent now?"  
> "Nothing Son, Papa is just going insane!"  
> "Going?"  
> "What a sharp mind! That's my boy!"


	7. Re:Cap

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The CCG plans, the Tsukiyamas plot, and Haise worriers on what the next twenty four hours hold for those he cares about.

Re:Cap

Everything about the meeting was grating. The President of the CCG's voice was old and cracking. The heater was blowing out dust. The room had not been used in quite some time and the sickly smell of four month old left over door wafted out of the garbage can and into each person's nose. Not even the coffee was good. Each investigator, however much they tried to pay attention were slowly lulled to sleep with each monotonous exchange of information on the Tsukiyama family and various household servants. From each home birth to bank transaction the board of directors wanted everyone to know all there was about the wealthy (to say the least, Switzerland, really?) family. Their leader was a male business mogul in his late fifties, the staff employed was roughly fifty house servants (the number which were ghouls was still up for debate), the Rosewald survivor would be in their late teens or early twenties by now; the Tsukiyama family heir was a young man in his late twenties.

"The CCG's regular informant, a young woman, would divulge no information on the family claiming they were "too strong o track." We have been tracking her calls, but a majority of her messages were sent using a disposable cell phone- not that anything less would be expected from our sources." Haise listened to the Information Bureau's report, his nails rapping on the hardwood table with soft clacks. A young man in his late twenties, that description carried a sense of foreboding that would go right along with Haise's ever present bad luck. Could he ever go on a date without repercussions? Still, there's more than thirteen million people in Tokyo alone; meeting his next target would be one-hundred-thirty-thousand to one. Shuu seemed like a nice guy, and judging by his previous actions knew about his past. No matter what, he had to keep Shuu from the CCG's grasp. Hinami can't speak freely in her cell, and it would take a lot of powerful individuals to break her out.

'I wonder if she is hungry right now, alone in that pure white cell, devoid of life. You know, ghoul hunger is terrible, even worse than that of a human.' The apparition stood to Haise's side, racking from side to side. Now, in the light (however appalling the old incandescent lights were) Haise was able to make out more of him. The apparition did have nearly the same build as he did, but the man before him was awfully lanky and lean. A person who had enough to eat but just barely, but the meat he had on him was muscle. Hair as white as the tips of Haise's head, and skin as translucent as tracing paper. Like he had bent and broke but came back stronger. He was wearing an outfit which looked familiar, but Haise could not place where he had seen it exactly.

'Hmm, you'd been quiet for a while, by the way you should take a seat. We're only halfway done with the meeting.' Haise quickly scribbled down any remaining notes before Arima sat down to make way for Akira's presentation. The the ghostly ghoul sat down on the table, but as far away from Arima as possible. 'Are you scared of him? Arima might be a scary guy, but he's almost like a dad to me.' Haise thought to more than just himself.

'False expressions hide many things, and that man is a mercy less killer who's only goal is to make you into a weapon for his own use; a living Quinque. He is a monster in battle and takes pride in his slaughter.' Haise looked to Arima, sitting melancholic in his seat, twirling a pen. If the white haired investigator noticed his staring, the man didn't let on.

'Still, from what you have described, he has changed. Just look; while he may of won our sparring match by using my weak spot, he let me save Hinami's life, if only for a while. He let me lead the Quinx instead of having them live in a laboratory. He has given me an environment where people make me feel welcome, even if I had that somewhere else as well. That doesn't mean that I want to lose my memories. Even if they are painful, judging by the look on your face they were, I still need them because they make me as a person.' The ghost nodded.

'Well, at least I was wrong about one thing, you didn't forget that others matter most. Your time is almost up, make it count.' With that the white haired figure dissipated from the table and Haise's mind.

'Maybe that's the last of him.'

"Haise, your report." Akira sat down, finished with the state of affairs in related ghoul cases. There were possibilities Aogiri was involved due to evidence from the Nutcracker Case, and best to be on guard for high level ghouls upon entry to the complex.

Awkwardly standing up from his chair, Haise looked around the room, all eyes fixed upon him. Heavy breathing could be heard from the uncomfortable individuals forced to wait out the meeting. Forced to languish what may be the last day of their lives in a stuffy old room. Forced to listen to him drone on about things which shouldn't need clarification. Well, make it count.

"The Quinx and I have fully recovered all wounds sustained during the Auction, which as everyone knows was approximately one month ago. During this time frame we have been honing our transformations in order to be of better use to the CCG in the upcoming raid on the Tsukiyama estate." Mitsuki blushed a bit, his face a mix of pride and guilt at how far he'd come since the last campaign. Noticing his apprentice's discomfort, Haise continued.

"The Quinx's role is that of a spear. While lower level investigators staring in the third class storm the lower fields diverting attention the Quinx will each split into groups and take a level of the manor. Urie Kuki and Tooru Mitsuki will take the first level, and once the first level is cleared Yonebayashi Saiko will secure the second floor. Ginshi Shizaru will take the third level of the estate."

"What of you Mr. Sasaki?" Akira asked tentatively, leaning further onto the table like a mother wondering exactly how many people would be at a high school party.

"I, myself will charge the roof. We have adequate information leading us to believe there is a connection between the Tsukiyama ghouls and Aogiri. The Owl is too large to move in confined spaces, and for this reason would make its stance on the roof."

"How deductive of you Mr. Sasaki." Arima began packing up his numerous ballpoint pens and papers; "Just how did you come by this information?" Calculating eyes dared Haise to say he had looked into old files; cases locked to lower level investigators, and only the Quinx themselves. Daring him to tell everyone about his flashbacks, his worries, his concerns out to a public whose allegiance could change with the weather.

'If you say that you've been talking to Suzuya, then Hinami will not be harmed. Tell an easily read lie and those you care about will go up in smoke.' A hand came out and latched itself around Haise's neck, if it wasn't incorporeal it would be choking him. It's tingling sensation was enough of a discomfort to halfway persuade Haise.

'How do I know the connection between Juuzo and the roof?' No reply, great. Well, go out on a limb and trust his mental instability.

"I asked Juuzo about his leg after the auction raid. He told me he lost it fighting the Owl, and that that the beast of a ghoul was huge. Safe to say the behemoth could not move indoors." Haise's eyes turned to Juzo, almost begging him to follow.

"Is this true Juuzo?" Akira turned to Juuzo who had been braiding his wiry ebony hair to look like her's.

"I might have, I might not have. I do a lot everyday and can't chart out any specific conversations. I think I remember something like that at the Christmas party." Juuzo smiled a wide toothy grin to the room, one that told Haise 'Thank's Juzo, you're not only a killer but a life savior! I really owe you one.' Indeed, Juuzo did deserve some kind of treat. Maybe take him down to a coffee shop for treats, Saiko and Ginshi would love to go too. Bowing his head Haise silently thanked Juuzo for going along.

"Well, Mr. Suzuya, it would be wise to not go into detail about that night. We lost many men and women in the line of battle, and we should honor them for as they lived and not speak of their deaths so lightly." Arima closed his non-Quinque briefcase. "In that case, ladies, gentlemen; we all know our positions in the coming raid on the Tsukiyama estate. The area will be cleared at five in the evening. Scouts will be watching the area. Not one will enter, or leave the estate after that time. We enter once the ground troops give the clear signal. Be prepared for a real battle here." Arima strode to the door, neither the heat, smell, or insufferable state of the people in the room could deter all attention from being directed towards him alone. "Make sure to write a eulogy in case. See you all tomorrow at five PM sharp."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> OVA
> 
> Walking through the candy shop, Haise never knew a time when he had longed to be able to taste human food more. The bright, artificial colored candies sat in cases, on shelves, in jars, and on rotating refrigerated pedestals. Cherry red spheres which smelled of succulent strawberries, orange ribbons of hard candy weaved into different patterns, the smells of cinnamon and peppermint taking over the clearance section as room was made for Valentine's treats. Mitsuki was looking at a cake pop maker, half in longing for the soft delights and half in guilt for choosing something so expensive. Shizaru was looking at the pocky section as Saiko (who had insisted on tagging along) teased him. Kuki was nonchalantly perusing the gum-balls, quickly adding more and more to his personal shopping cart ("I can buy my own candy. Not even as if I'm going to get anything, that's kid stuff. Asshole."). However, their joy was dwarfed by Juuzo who was running from isle to isle like the madman he most certainly was. "This chocolate is very creamy, ohh! I've heard about these suckers before! I want the candy apple ones! Can I Sa-sa-ki-San~" 
> 
> "Yes, you get as much as you think you can eat." The beaming face and tight pull on the stitched lines on his neck showed how genuinely happy Juuzo was at the promise of sweets.
> 
> Sipping his bitter black coffee Haise watched his happy friends and colleagues frolic. Haise knew one thing; his wallet was going to be a LOT lighter when he left the store.


	8. Re:Evaluate

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Re:evaluate Summary 
> 
> Eto welcomes Kanae to Aogiri so that the Rosewald may be of use to her during the Tsukiyama family raid. Friends in high places.

Re:evaluate

Kanae did not know how the embalmed ghoul had managed to capture and sedate her so easily. Kanae was a deadly weapon in battle, trained by Tsukiyama's knight Matsumae herself, but in just a few movements and she was pinned by the gruesome kagune of the other ghoul. Kanae feared this woman because she knew so much. Years upon years spent hiding her gender, her voice, her chest, her small hopes were all shattered glass upon the floor which the ghoul stepped upon happily. Her secrets were embedded in the small ghoul's feet, the sickly smell of blood emanating from both occupants as they sat in the sewer. 

It was the capturer to speak first, chuckling the ghoul brought a dainty hand to what would be her mouth. "Kanae Von Rosewald, what a pretty name. Not as pretty as Karren, but hey, a dying wish is a dying wish right?" Although her regenerative abilities had only managed to heal internal organs by this point Kanae seethed. How dare this person mock her family! How dare this person mock her pain. "A male heir is so much more valuable to a lineage than a female one." Kanae glared at her assailant, uncaring of repercussions in her rage. The small ghouls gazed down at her from the ceiling. "You don't really want Shuu to get better? Do you? If only you were able to nurse him back to health instead of that mutt..."

"Die Klappe halten" She didn't need her emotions spayed out by that. She just needed Haise out of Shuu's life.

"You targeted the Qs at the auction not to protect Shuu, or Mirumo Tsukiyama, but to destroy your rival before Shuu knew."

"Die Klappe halten." She didn't want a reminder of guilt and hasty actions which lead her relatives to the state they're in now. She just needed Haise to leave.

"A master who does not care about you is not worth serving."

"The Tsukiyamas do care about me, and took me in when no one else would... Shuu cares about me... Even if he doesn't know it yet." All these years Kanae had stayed to her father's dying wishes, to Mirumo's orders, to Shuu's kind words; she did not need this monster to analyze her life! She just needed Haise out of Shuu's heart.

"That creature Sasaki Haise came back and did what you could not in three years. Pop come the Shuu like an annual in spring. A flower among men." 

"Yes, he is the reason. I know Shuu will never love me back, but still I fell like I must serve him for all he has done for me!" Shuu was her companion in a strange foreign land, Shuu was her friend when no one else would be, Shuu was her mentor when it came to new skills to master. Shuu was everything to Kanae and no one could tarnish his image to Kanae.

"You want to take Shuu back from this new distraction in his life. But how can you retrieve what you never had to begin with? You need to steal Shuu back from Sasaki Haise."

"I need to kill Sasaki Haise for Shuu and I to be together. Only then will he notice my feelings. You're right about that, at the very least." It was what Kanae had been trying for since Chie brought back that photo. 

The small ghoul tittered from her perch in the rafters. "I have a game! I say a word, and you say the first thing that pops into your mind."

Looking up Kanae spat blood at the other ghoul. "Like it matters what I think."

"Like it ever has? Let's begin then." Crossing her legs and sitting up straight the small ghoul mocked a certain phycologist's trademark stance. "Apple?" The monster asked. 

"Red." The lover replied.

"Red?" The monster asked.

"Love." The lover replied.

"Love?" The monster asked.

"People." The lover replied.

"People?" The monster asked.

"Person." The lover replied.

"Man?" The monster asked.

"Shuu." The lover replied.

"Woman?" The monster asked.

"Woman." The lover replied.

The small ghoul rocked her feet back and forth from where she sat, the rafters making squeaking noises akin to the screams of rats.  
"In truth, I care not for your, or Shuu's life-" she watched Kanae's reaction darken to a look of unadulterated hatred, for her, for this situation, for her life. "But, you and I have a similar motivation. We want Sasaki Haise out of the picture. You see five years ago we lost a little experiment and it all spiraled out of control from there. For that reason we have to clean up our messes. The CCG wants us dead, but are too scared to take on our hideout unless they can find a large enough reason, or joint excision for it." 

The monster swept from her perch and descended upon the mouse quivering with rage, and the pent up emotions of fifteen years. 

"Rose?" The monster asked.

"Garden." The lover replied.

"Garden?" The monster asked.

"Home." The lover replied.

"Home?" The monster asked.

"Safety." The lover replied.

"Safety?" The monster asked.

"Security." The lover replied.

"Security?" The monster asked.

"Shuu." The lover replied.

With each question answered the small ghoul would stitch up the wounds she had made on Kanae's battered body. As the hours went on she stitched together more than what she had damaged; she mended teary eyes and crying lips in a most gruesome of manners. With each stitch Kanae felt another bit of herself slipping to the overwhelming physical and emotional pain which had overtaken her life.

"Kanae you remind me of one of my favorite characters, she was a heroine in a romance novel I once wrote. She went through trials of all sorts but attained Adam in the end." 

"I'd go to church if I wanted to hear the ludicrous things in a book written thousands of years ago."  
"There is no God. But one day, I will be. I am making a perfect world. One where ghouls, the innately supreme beings rule over the livestock, humans. While humans rear pigs in cages we rear them in cities. For this one sin I will give you the man you want, and together you shall live happily."

"Happy? Can I really be happy?"  
With a look of adoration, the bandaged ghoul continued her sewing. 

"Yes, yes Kanae you will be happy if you let me guide you. There's someone who will help you. He's another of my chosen, a good experiment." As she motioned to the door a man, barely older than an adolescent stood in the doorway dressed in black, her angel of death. He stood there chewing on his nails anxiously as he waited for Kanae to follow. As Kanae walked out of the sewers with him, the embalmed ghoul pondered upon the fate of the troubled teen. She decided that she had done well, and if not then at least she was able to have had some fun turning the child on her peers. After all, she had always reinforced her nest of lies with pretty words; she preyed upon those who felt the most for she felt nothing. Abandoned as a child and raised in an organization committed on using her for world domination she had learned early on that emotions were easy to use as manipulative objects. The only emotions she allowed herself were her page turning main cast of characters. 

She was the writer.

She was the play write in this marvelous tragedy.

She was the child of misfortune.

She was the horrific one eyed King.

She was the Owl.

She was Eto.

And she lived to create.

She lived to create works of art.

She lived to create award winning works of fiction.

She lived to create relatable characters.

She lived to twist them.

She lived to break them.

She was Eto, she was cunning, and she knew what would come next. Somewhere in Tokyo, a group of artificial half ghouls stood on a roof, poised to attack. Dogs waiting for the signal to fetch. Among them stood the imposter to the throne. Among them stood the Owl's most interesting game. Among them stood a man of many faces, personalities, and stories. Among them stood Sasaki Haise. Leading them stood Kaneki Ken. 

The stage was set.

The battle could begin.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tsukiyama Shuu walked around the greenhouse garden, a few of his cousin's prized flowers wilting without their daily watering. "Hmm, I wonder where Kanae is. I'll water these, it'd be a shame for them to die." 
> 
> As he tended to the roses Shuu though to himself, "I wonder when Haise will call today."


	9. Re:Locate

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Shuu and his father share a cup of coffee.

Re:Locate

"The defenses are laid out. To avoid the unnecessary deaths of our comrades I will remain at the estate and submit to the CCG. If we cannot strike a bargain with them, we will at least buy time for our allies to escape." Servants buzzed about the estate in a quiet fashion, the CCG was outside and could not be alerted to their planning. Mirumo sat in his drawing room debating plans of action with the Knight. 

"I will surrender in the beginning Matsumae, but I am not going in unprepared. This old dog has a few tricks yet!" Chuckling the old man flexed his arm in a joshing manner. "Nothing can be achieved without a sacrifice, and for the Doves it will take a big one." Nodding in agreement, Matsumae sent out orders for the human staff members to leave the house through the servant's quarters with any one small thing they wanted. A thank you from the family for serving in an environment many would deem hostile, for giving ghouls a try at civility. Only the ghoul members without families would stay. They would be vital for the future plan. 

"After the main surrender, Matsumae, take my son to Eclipse; there should be a cab waiting for you. At the Eclipse building are ghoul CEOs of our partner companies. For my help over the years they have sworn fealty and are bound to show. They are quite loyal to us so you do not need to fear their desertion." Mirumo sat at his desk, calmly drinking coffee as the clouds rolled past the window. 

"What of Kanae?" Matsumae had grown to like the boy, he was bright and would have been a dedicated replacement if the time had come to choose a new Knight of Tsukiyama. 

Looked like that day would never come now.

"I sent Kanae on an errand, all the way to the other side of Tokyo. I believe he shall be alright. If all goes well the cab driver will be hard to convince and Kanae may miss the event entirely." Continuing Mirumo looked at his watch, "I would like my son to come visit his papa as soon as possible. Very soon you will have to take him away and if this is the end I wish to speak with my adorable, talented, devoted baby boy." He stopped for a moment, "There was a time when I worried for him, so fixated on one meal. I grew to understand that fixation was not just based in appetite but a hunger of the heart. He is a good son, always eager to learn, happy to please. I only want the best for him. It is all any father wants." 

"Yes Sir."

"Mirumo please, we're friends Matsumae; I've known you since you were a little girl. You are the daughter I never had in some ways. An older sister who cared for her younger brother, who taught him all he needed to know, who looked out for him in school." 

"I was happy to, Sir." She opened her tablet's messages and began texting Shuu. She wouldn't be able to protect her little brother for much longer, the least she could do was all that was possible. 

'Shuu, please come to your father's main office immediately. There are matters of importance you need to be aware of.' 

From the other side of the screen came the iconic '...' All she could do was wait for the response.

'Coming!~ but rlly Matsumae you need to be less formal all time time.' A second bubble followed, 'You make me feel like I'm still a trouble making student in a foreign language class.' ':/' Silently, Matsumae savored this exchange with her dear friend. 

Mirumo was looking down at a pocket watch. Five short hours to nightfall; no doubt Doves were watching right now, but they wouldn't dare having the general populace involved; even if he does the company and family name must live on.

Nothing like hiding in plain sight for over one hundred years to get the people on your side. What would happen to the market without the Tsukiyama Corporation's influence, or that of their allied companies? Scrolling through her tablet she received word that ghouls from business partners had arrived at the Lunar Eclipse. 

Not everyone in the house was a ghoul, but everyone knew that property of the Tsukiyama family was off limits. A mind bright enough to interest the master was a pet, not a meal. These humans were like show animals, parading about showing how the Tsukiyama household does not hunger, that they are not tempted by common flesh. At the same time, it was more than that. Ghouls and humans could work side by side, so long as both had their needs met. No matter what Mirumo said, she would be going down with a fight and not sit back and watch the proud business fall. A rapt came at the door, "Come in Shuu." He waltzed into the room wearing a deep purple suit, one of his newer ones. The boy was changing sizes so drastically as of late. Mirumo motioned for his son to sit down. Exiting the room, Matsumae left to meet with the cab driver downstairs. 

"My son, how has your day been?"

"You called me here for that? Matsumae made it sound like such a heavy topic. I've been good. My boyfriend didn't call me today though. He's usually so consistent." Chuckling, Mirumo just had to savor how open Shuu was with his feelings. A flower in bloom, open and fragrant for the world to see. 

"He'll come around. Maybe there's just a ton of paperwork to be done. Your mother used to complain about my absence durning fashion season." Shuu's expression became troubled at the mention of his mother, who's death had hurt his father for a time nearly as bad as Kaneki's had him. "You were her world too, you know. Remember that time when you spilled a bottle of wine you were trying to sneak from the cellar and spilled it all over the oriental rug which grandpa brought back from his travels? She was so angry but from then on that spot in the rug smelled like cherries." 

"Dad, this isn't about my day. Kanae was not in the garden today, or the music room. Does this have to do with him?" Mirumo began pouring a second cup of coffee, filling the room with a spicy scent. Handing the cup to Shuu he put down his own. 

"No son, that was me prolonging this moment. Son, soon this manor will be no more, and the Tsukiyama name will come to you. The CCG is closing in on us at last. Kanae is safe right now, and now son you need to get to a safe refuge now as well." Shuu dropped his cup.

"What! Dad why didn't you tell me, I'm strong enough to help defend our name and home." The coffee table was pushed to the side as Shuu ran to his father's side.

"You were son, right now you are still recovering from your transformation. Although your skills remain well worked, your strength has been greatly diminished by your hunger strike. Your kokaku is heavy, and the muscles of your back have grown thin from lying in bed all day." Mirumo hugged his son for what may be the last time. "My son, there is a car waiting to take you to the Eclipse building. From there a helicopter and our associates will help you make your estate. Kanae is on an errand on the other side of the city- no harm should come to him." Looking down to his son Mirumo reached into his breast pocket and pulled out a watch. "However much of a tenacious, adventuring, womanizing man your grandfather was, you still looked up to him. This watch was with him on his first journey to South America when he set up trade routes for coffee beans which grew into a conglomerate of separate companies acting under our family name. It is your's now." 

Accepting the heirloom, the two stood there waiting by the window. Shuu's phone buzzed. Opening it it was not a mesaage from his Haise, but a departure note from the Knight who would whisk him off into the night. 

Matsumae: 'Time to leave Sir.'

'Omw.' The reply was quick, no emojis or special characters about. This was a serious time. Hugging his father one last time Shuu exited the house that was his some since birth, where he was born because ghouls could not go to a hospital, where he met most friends at social gatherings, and where he thought he would live until he took over the company. 

Once his son had left the room, Mirumo pulled out a handkerchief. Water? How has that gotten on his face. He put on his dark rimmed spectacles; it would be unfitting for a Tsukiyama to discuss a business negotiation in such a state.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Extra 
> 
> As the car sped down the freeway Shuu tried to fill the void. "Matsumae, who is going to be at the Eclipse?" 
> 
> Although the curves were tight, and the stakes high she explained "Mr. Kurei, Jiro Asada, my associate Mairo, and your distant cousin Tycho." 
> 
> "I haven't seen Tycho since he left for Spain a couple years ago." As the lights whizzed by Shuu thought to himself 'It seems like a proper family reunion now.'


	10. Re:Kindle

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> If any of us were the hero of this story, it would definitely be... A tragedy.

Re:Kindle

Akira stood in the front lines prepping the Qs for battle with Haise. Doves sharpened quinques, and stood attentive for the director's signal. The air held a level of tension. Leading the charge stood Arima's second squad member CCG operative Hairu Ihei. 

The smells of smoke and diesel fuel overcame their camp in the twilight. The quiet before the storm. Standing atop a tank Arima stood like a second moon against the darkness which was the sky. 

"Investigators, last chance to bail, if you do so no one will judge you. Those of you who enter the house may not survive. Be on guard." No one moved, or made any sign of wanting to leave. This is what the signed up for. Ghouls like these killed humans for sport, participated in human trafficking. They were guilty and justice would be deliver; even ghouls had to conform to the laws of man. 

The Doves began their charge towards the manor, halfway through the lawn they began to call out to one another. 

"Why aren't they shooting at us? Not that I'm complaining!"

"Are there bombs under our feet? Tread lightly and avoid mounds!"

"You really think that rich guys would hurt their lawns?"

"If their lives depended on it they might!"

And so when everyone came reached the manor unscathed the Doves were more than a little unnerved. Why was nothing in their way? Was the Tsukiyama family so complacent and assured in their position that they thought themselves immune to the reach of the CCG? Ihei walked towards the door, with trepidation she checked the seal on it. 

"It's clear, there is no bomb on it." Raising her Quinque, and grasping it tightly Ihei crouched into a boxing stance and slammed her weapon into the door. After two solid whacks the mahogany slab of wood came down with a loud bang. Walking in to the mansion there were no signs of ghouls fleeing, there were no signs of struggles. Slowly they filled into different hallways and corridors, leaving twenty Doves to secure the perimeter. Entering the main hall a lone figure could be spied standing at the top of the stairwell. 

A middle aged man dressed in business clothes with dark glasses covering his eyes. 

Mirumo Tsukiyama.

"Don't move." The man put his hands in the air and with the voice of a highly bred individual addressed the intruders. 

"Welcome to my home. As you all have your weapons already raised I assume you already are assured we are ghouls. I myself am here to surrender to you peacefully. If you go further into the mansion you will find my servants, they are also ghouls but will not attack." Ihei came closer to the man. 

"Just what are you playing at?" She asked incredulously, was this ghoul insane? There was no leniency for ghouls from the CCG, even for those who came peacefully. They were ghouls, rabid dogs to be put down. 

"You are guests in my home, however unexpected." He lied. "Take a seat."

"No thanks." Whoever in the crowd of investigators said that, they earned a few points. Comedy, balls, or stupidity would be up for debate later. Mirumo did not seem to be offended in the least, and continued.

"I have lived my life as a human, never hunting. I have been a benefactor of the city for a long time now, as records can show my families generous supply of donations. As you all well know, the CCG cannot claim the wealth of my family by just exposing us as ghouls to the public, or retrieve our wealth following our deaths." The German branch of the CCG had been livid about that when they had worked so hard to kill the Rosewalds, not one cent went towards funding. "If you spare the lives of my servants which willingly submit, I will fund your endeavors."

"You think you can buy us off?" Ihei scoffed, Arima raised his eyebrows at the ghoul's tactics. Walking away from Akira and the Qs he took up the interrogation.

"Where is the rest of your family?" The business man simply smiled. 

"I want to be taken alive. And only once negotiations can be set up will I disclose anything." 

"You're not in a position to bargain." Gripping his briefcase tightly, he pushed down on the release mechanism. Lift a finger and the man was dead.

The businessman took in a deep breath, "And are you?" He smiled up at Arima. Arima whispered a few words to his subordinate, who looked torn when she heard his plan. 

Grimacing the Ihei turned to the squads. "They're not here. I want ten field operatives here to take the ghouls into custody. If they fight back you may kill them, however if they submit they are to be taken to the trucks. We need to bag and tag them. We're going to the Tsukiyama's and affiliates' buildings. We have a Rose and Prince to find." After all, she had a few ghouls on her shopping list tonight, a certain one she had been hunting for years.

Hurried feet ran towards busses and motor vehicles as the raid turned into a manhunt. What would be an easy spot to flee from? What would be a place with a helicopter pad? Where is somewhere close but not often open? What's an easy place to defend would have many levels which would deter assailants? 

"First place to check, the Lunar Eclipse Hotel! Let's get going!" As Ihei ran towards her van With Arima, Akira waved to the Qs. 

"You're with me until we get inside, then get to your levels!"

The cars rushed down city streets, as their sirens blasted people made way for humanity's heroes. 

Around the crowded city streets, over the towering skyline, all the way across the city the Lunar Eclipse was holding a different convention than usual. "Thank you all for coming to my aid. I am truly grateful." Shuu looked upon faces that were family by blood and choice, family willing to die to save him.

"It's okay mi amigo. Just if I make it out of this, model my amethyst collection next year when this whole thing dies down." Tycho smiled at his cousin with a wide toothy grin. 

"Yes, make sure I do get to model that next year Tycho." Laughing with his cousin relieved some of the stress from the situation, but did nothing to lighten his heart.

Screeching tires could be heard from the parking lot two levels down. 

"I am a long time friend to your father, and I'll be darned if I can't protect the little boy he won't shut up about." The old man was only half Shuu's height, "You look more like your mother actually. Higher cheekbones than your bear of a father." 

"I'm not small anymore Mr. Kurei."

"To a man my age, you are still a tiny tot." Mr. Kurei said in his old crotchety voice. 

Uncountable car doors slammed in the night.

"You always wanted to work at my restaurant when you were younger, has your passion for food vanished?" Asked a chubby man from the back.

"No Mr. Asada. I have my passion for fine food, but a greater passion for my lover."

"That's great, true Italian spirit right there. Make sure to invite me to the wedding if I can still walk." The chubby man heartily laughed at the young man's reaction. "Oh, I'm just messing with ya', no rush but roll out the benvinuti when I meet the lucky lady- er, lad." 

Sounds of humans and ghouls fighting began, soon the hotel would need a new coat of paint. 

Matsumae stepped into the middle of the circle of businessmen. "Gentlemen, I am afraid that there is indeed a rush. Shuu, on the roof there is a helicopter scheduled to come and pick you up at promptly six. Survive until then." 

The shriek of broken glass permeated the hotel; a man went unnoticed as he catapulted towards the roof of the Lunar Eclipse.

"I understand." These were friends and family, willing to die for him. Why had he languished for three years in mourning when he had such wonderful people trying to console him during that time period. 

These people were family by blood, and heritage.

"Yes, I guess we'd better prepare then." The business ghouls put on their masks, shielding their identities. Except for one.

These people were family by choice, scrabble boards and Italian lessons.

"Matsumae, where is your mask?"

The people at Anteku and Re: were family by circumstance and loyalty.

"I will not need it. Master Shuu I want you to promise me that you'll live a good life."

The people in that motel room all those years ago were family by friendship and strength.

"Only if you promise me that you'll come back."

Kaneki Ken was family by love.

"That, I am sorry but I cannot promise. Please Shuu, live. I will not ask that you live for me, but please live for those of us who will fall today."

Haise was family because he was Kaneki.

"My life was yours from the start after all." 

Sometimes, everyone who you have ever known feels like family.

"Please do not waste it!" 

Sometime saying goodbye is painful.

"Those words are too cruel Matsumae." Turning towards his family, Shuu smiled at them. Waving he hoped maybe if he never said goodbye then it would not be. He turned around and ran for the roof as his family, numerous old men, a cousin with scruffy hair, and a woman who was like a sister headed to battle in his name. He did not know where the others were, or what condition they were in. He just knew he had to get to the roof and get on that helicopter.

Sometimes, saying goodbye makes it feel like it will be forever-forever.

"It's general manager Matsumae, Tsukiyama's knight. If it's her we'll- Never mind, goodbye!"

Because sometimes, they are.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Climbing the glass windows to the top of the Eclipse Building, Haise stopped to look out at the citiy's vista. Endless concrete towers and steel which reflected the unnatural glow of neon lights. 
> 
> It was a lovely place. 
> 
> There he waited for the man he was to kill.


	11. Re:Member

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The couple meets, the couple perishes. 
> 
> \- Unravel

Re:Member

"Roger that, we have shot down the Taukiyama helicopter; I repeat we have shot down the Tsukiyama helicopter." The electronic buzz associated with the detached voice went almost unnoticed; the ghoul and investigator looked at each other with a mix of anguish and pity. 

The buzz came back. 

"Third Class Inspector Sasaki, do you read me." It was almost mocking them, this situation, demanding an answer neither could give.

Taking a few deep breaths the inspector replied to the correspondent. "There is no sign of the Tsukiyama family heir yet. Hold your positions." The seconds ticked on. 

Why was it him? 

Nearly thirteen and a half million people in Tokyo, with who knows how many named Shuu. With so many rooftops and stairs to climb, who should ascend those steps? 

It was him. Standing on top of a roof as both of them wallowed in the horror of the moment.

"You know, Haise, what this is mockery?" The pain of losing him twice, the pain of losing- no, deserting his family. The guilt of living twice as others fought below him.

"Shuu, I did not know that you were a Tsukiyama." He could only buy so much time. "I never wanted this to be, but because of the circumstances it seems that we must fight. I think you're a nice person Shuu, so I want to talk first." The words were almost pleading. That they didn't have to be up on this roof, that this tragedy was not taking place beneath their feet. "I don't want to fight you."

"This is a fucked up joke." From the beginning their roles had been reversed. Shuu knew what he had to do, to protect the wishes of his family, his allies as they protected him. "What do you want to ask of me? How much I love you? All the hardship we overcame to be together? How hurt I was when you left? How you left me alone on a rooftop much like this? How long I wallowed in anguish after you 'died?' Are you trying to learn more about yourself from me, before you kill me too, Haise?" 

"No, I don't want to kill you Shuu! If you come peacefully I can ask the CCG for ownership rights over you as well-"

"As well as whom?" Who else from Kaneki's past had Haise lured in with a sweet face and calm demeanor? Touka had spoken of Haise visiting Re: a few weeks ago, was she captured? Was this the CCG's new way of capturing dangerous ghouls they had been unable to track down beforehand? To use bonds such of friendship, family, and love as weapons. "Cattivissimo. What they've made you do, and what you are allowing them to do mi amor." 

"Please Shuu, I want to know you! I want to not lose this life, but I also want to know of what I held in the past! I don't want to hurt people! I don't want to choose." It did not suit Kaneki to plead, he would ask for others but never himself. Haise was a different person, he was willing to beg for himself. Still he was the same all at once. It hurt, and that hurt quickly became anger. Rage at the fact that he could do nothing, rage for the people he was about to loose, rage for the one he had lost from the beginning, and rage for the fact that it all came back to him in the end. 

"Surrender you say? My father, Matsumae, my cousins, my uncle, my friends, my servants are all fighting, and dying so that I may live after this night! Surrender you say? My life, my body, my very breath is no longer my own! Are you telling me to sit around carelessly in Cochela until I am to die? Although I loved the man you were, he would never be so spineless! I will fight to survive!" The long kagune came out from his shoulder blade, and spiraled around his arm. A sword by any name. 

Leaping back a few yards he crouched into a battle stance. For those of Anteiku.

His Kakugan flared out in brillian Crimson on black, veins on his face popping. For those of Re:.

He heard the screams from below, and vowed to make them not in vain. For those of his family.

He charged the Haise. For those he loved.

"Haise Sasaki, I don't know you!" Kicking Haise square in the chest with his powerful legs Shuu fought to live. He took a stab at Haise, who should have lived a quiet relatively normal life. But he got involved again. Both times Kaneki had been hurt because of him. There was no running away from this feeling of loneliness, now that he knew that Kaneki was lost. 

Where Haise parried a kick came from the other side, where Haise blocked a stronger attack knocked him back. The defensive was never a stance you wanted to be in long when battling a Tsukiyama, the relentless barrage continued. "Shuu, your guards downstairs are overwhelmed, the CCG is closing in, when they hear fighting my squad will come!" He needed to turn this situation around, and fast.

"I must do this Dove, we've both walked this path from the beginning!" 

"How do you plan to escape yourself? You said you needed to live for others!" The stabbing became stronger at that, more vigorous, Haise's rinkaku could only grab onto Shuu's kokaku as it came down. 

"Do not concern yourself with that! I would sooner go down fighting than willingly walk into a gas chamber!" He kicked his right leg out in an attempt to topple Haise. 

'How am I supposed to beat him? I don't want to die, don't want to kill him, and don't want him to be captured by someone who won't spare him!' The voice from earlier did not help him. It sat in the corner of his mind as Haise took each blow. 'Think, think, think!' There was a pattern to Shuu's movements; a parry would be followed by a thrust, a block would be followed by kick, a strike would be followed by a barrage. Testing it out his hypothesis Haise feigned a strike which was blocked, Shuu kicked Haise in the arm- aiming for the elbow, and moved forward to take back the offensive. A kick that seeks an opening, up next is a large swinging strike!

So it was almost like a dance. A memorable one at that, one practiced at mastered long ago. Rusty when you take it back up, but easy once you get into the swing of it. Haise parried Shuu's kagune with his own, and on the returning thrust caught Shuu in the shoulder. The attack threw off Shuu's routine, allowing Haise to gain the upper hand. As Shuu crashed to the ground in a blaze of glory Haise held him down, holding his Quinque above Shuu's eye as Arima had taught him. But something was holding him back. 

'Don't kill him!' One final stab and it would be all over. Forget the night you spent walking the streets with him, forget the tales of music halls and rose gardens. You can go back to your own life. It will not be your old one, but it will be stable. 

Deep labored breaths came from the injured Shuu below. "Haise, aren't you going to kill me?" The ghoul smiled, hesitation. 

'Don't kill him, don't kill him!' The voice was screaming in his mind, no longer sitting quietly. 

"What's wrong Haise? I'm rendered immobile. Kill me again." 

'Don't kill him, don't kill him, don't kill him!' 

An electronic buzz came in over Haise's headset. "Third Class Sasaki, has there been any sight of the Taukiyama family heir? Squads are entering the third level as we speak." 

The voices attacked him in a way a kagune or quinque never could, hitting him and cutting him. Asking him to choose one life or another, how could he sacrifice anyone? 

"I can't choose! I can't choose! Don't make me because I can't!" Raising his quinque if only to toss it away in disgust a pain flooded his arm. Looking up at the splatter of blood raining down from where he was hit he could see the source of the pain. His arm was gone. 

How did that happen. 

Climbing up the side of the skyscraper a lone figure stood, kagune drawn and masked in the shadow of the cities twilight. The mask resembled Shuu's and the man looked terrified at the new arrival. A new arrival which had Tsukiyama purple hair.

So that's how it happened. Haise's screams and Shuu's voice asking the person to run fell upon deaf ears. "Ugh, shut up Borg." 

The new arrival was Kanae Von Rosewald.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know you are, but what am I? ((Who was that directed to in the manga? Haise because he had captured Shuu's interest, or Shuu because he was fixxiated on a ghoul which was once a human (humans are omnivores and thus are said to taste of pork).)) Either way I wanted to keep to manga cannon because the conversations meant so much, but also add in my head cannons on their meaning. It has taken a long time to rewrite parts of this story which I felt were not up to par, and craft a relationship which is believable between characters. Something magical about Tokyo Ghoul is the fact that every character has their own motive, and like real world people, share hopes and dreams which can all come crashing down.


	12. Re:Alize

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> As a battle rages atop Tokyo a battle rages in the hearts and minds of our star crossed heros.

Re:alize 

The wind howled above Tokyo as the masked ghoul charged Haise, with quick movements a violet rinkaku kagune stabbed at him. Anguish halted his movements; from fighting Shuu, from the ever present throbbing in his head, and the regeneration process on his arm. How was he to dodge in such a state? This ghoul shared his rc type, and thus Haise could not just heal himself until the ghoul was tired. Relentless was the assailant, who screamed profanities in German all the while. 

"You should just disappear! You've been a pretty little weed for my gardener to tend; now wilt your season is over!" Roses, sunflowers, lilies, dandelions, what did flowers have to do with any of this? With ragged breaths Haise tried to grapple with the ghoul. Flicking his left and right kagune limbs Haise blocked and striked at Kanae. 

"Haise, you're weak. If you can't protect yourself how do you plan to protect Shuu? Oh no, you never intended to protect him at all!" Kanae reached out a hand and grasped Haise by the neck, choking him. Through a muffling mask Kanae continued, "You only wanted to use him, to find other ghouls, for your past, for promotion! You don't care about Shuu the way I do!" Raising Haise off the ground the short man found it even harder to breathe with a hand around his neck. 

"No, don't say things like that, I do care about Shuu, but-" the hand holding him above ground tightened. Clawing at the hand with his black nails Haise began to feel panic as the ghoul slowly started moving forward. 

"You only ruin things Haise, everyone you touch meets with pain in the end. I'm doing this world, this city, this ward, this family of mine a favor!" One step after another, even though the ghoul's hands were bloodied by Haise's tearing nails Kanae held him over the edge of the Lunar Eclipse. Kanae dangled Haise there, watching him try to look down at the fifteen story drop onto the dark cement streets filled with ghouls and CCG operatives alike below the hotel. 

"Kanae, please don't hurt him!" Shuu was beginning to regenerate, static electricity taking over the gouges and cuts as he tried to bring himself to his feet. Feebly he stood as Haise gasped for breath. 

"He tried to kill you. He is the enemy. He must be eliminated." The curt answers hurt Shuu, who liked to talk for hours with his cousin. 

"He did not want to resort to violence, we can leave now. He chose what side he wants to back! We can leave Tokyo, meet up with the other survivors. We have family in South America." Shuu was pulling at strings. There was no helicopter, there was no get away car; but he had seen enough loved ones die today.

He couldn't add Kaneki to the pile again, he couldn't. The rage was gone, only worry remained. 

"Leave, with you master Shuu?" The voice was muffled by the mask, Kanae's head veering between Haiss and Shuu. 'God brought him to me, Eto brought Shuu to me! He wants to leave with me! He has chosen me over you!' Giggles overcame Kanae as she loosened her grip on Haise. 

"Just put him down, you've done enough Kanae." Shuu said. 

'Just to make sure he doesn't come back...' Kanae thought to herself. She lifted Haise off of the off the roof again. 

"Kanae, what are you doing? I told you to put him down!" Shuu yelled, he could not lose Haise, Kaneki, the love of his life. 

'Try kicking.' Came the voice in his head.'

Kanae stood on the edge of the roof, and Haise flailed. In his movements he found the strength in himself to kick at his assailant. He brought both of his legs up in a jerking movement, causing Kanae to reach with one hand for the railing, not willing to fall to her death for this man. His legs found purchase around her neck, and in a sickening crunch Kanae's neck snapped and rolled back. Haise took this opportunity to free himself from the death grip and land stand on the roof top as he gasped for the air he had been denied for so long. Shuu looked on in horror. Kanae's neck was snapped, by Haise! His cousin had been killed by his love! The CCG had taken yet another member of his family! 

No, yet again he was too weak to do anything atop a roof. 

"KANAE!" He yelled in anguish as he charged Haise, assured that this time he would have to do the unthinkable to the man who was once his beloved. This wasn't Ken, this was a monster wearing his beloved's face! That must be why he does not remember kind words, sparring matches, hours spent reading books in a dimly lit room. 

This thing is a person trying to take Kaneki's place. 

Haise rose to his feet feebly and the pair began to fight in their weakened states. Punch for punch, kick for kick, jab for jab they were equal as both put the majority of their energy into regenerating limbs, cuts, and the sharp blades of their kagunes. Out of the corner of his eye Haise saw the unthinkable, the ghoul's neck was realigning itself! Halting his attack to watch in grotesque fascination he reviewed a kick to the shin from Shuu, who then saw what Haise was focusing on. 

Kanae's snapped neck regenerated quickly, each vertebrae popping back into position until the slender neck once again held its elegant posture. With trepidation the ghoul brought a hand up and hit the back of its neck and began to massage it tenderly. "Ow." Kanae said looking towards Haise with venom, as if he had punched the ghoul instead of delivering a killing blow. 

"K-Kanae?" Stuttered Shuu; after all, who wouldn't be at their wits end after all that he was put through today. 

"Now, where was I?" As Kanae sprung forward at Haise who jumped to the side. It seemed that Kanae had come back stronger than before. As Haise dodged the Rosewalds attacks the white haired spirit was humming a catchy classical tune. 

'Really? Now?' Haise blanched. 

'Really.' It replied. 

"Kanae, please don't kill him; Haise, don't you dare kill my cousin!" Shuu bellowed. The two stopped fighting, if only momentarily, and finally listened to the exasperated man.

"Haise, you said you did not want to take me prisoner; ignore your orders from the CCG and let my family and me go! If you fear for your life come with us, I do not wish to lose anyone else I care about." Shuu looked upon Haise with a mix of adoration and fear, love for his devotee, and fear of what choices may be made. Taking off the now useless mask, Kanae glared at Shuu. 

"Are you sure this is wise?" Oh how she hoped Shuu would reconsider; where was that promise of traveling together now that Haise was out of harms way? 

Haise tentatively walked up to the pair. "You'd trust me, after all this?" Looking up at the taller male ghoul Haise wondered just how deep a bond the white haired apparition and Shuu had shared at one point. 

"It took a long time for you to trust me again after I messed up in your past life. I could never forgive you if Kanae was dead- but he isn't! I can still trust you, and you can learn about yourself." And he did, he was a fool in love. Haise, Ken, Kaneki, whoever this half ghoul became Shuu would follow. Life was full of flavor, a never ending meal which was always changing- never leaving one disappointed.

Kanae looked over at the other side of the rooftop, where two figures were watching the conversation. Surely everything being said was being reported back to Eto. Silently the young Rosewald wondered if she was to be the base of Tatsuki Sen's new heroine. 

"But Shuu, the main reason I have to stay at the CCG is because of another person from my past who was captured!" Shuu's eyes became alert at this, recalling the conversation from the beginning of their battle.

"Yes, you mentioned something about that, who was it?" One of the heads watching the group of three sprang to life. 

"IS IT A GIRL NAMED HINAMI?" The voice was young, yet masculine. It was strong in the sense that it defied fears and intruded upon the conversation with ease. 

"Do my ears deceive me, or is that the younger of the Kirishima siblings?" Shuu looked upon the purple haired youth, remembering how he had been thoroughly bested by the siblings in his younger days. 

"Ayato, you have a position to keep; Takizawa, why are you here and not feasting?" A ghouls with white hair which looked similar to the distorted spirit poked at its stomach. 

"If the clown eats anymore he'll pop." Ayato finished the sentence for him. Takizawa had been starved by Aogiri, and while it brought him over to their cause the vast difference from the months with no food to the carnage unleashed when he smelled human flesh was intense. 

You wouldn't want to be on the wrong end of that hungry-hungry-hippo.

"You're the one named Ayato right?" Haise pointed to the youth, who flinched at the investigator's voice. 

"You should know, you broke half the bones in my body Ken!" Haise looked at this complete stranger. 

"Wow, was I a sinner or a saint? My past is so convoluted and messed up." Shuu brought a strong arm to wrap around Haise's shoulder. 

"That it is, but it is what cards you were given to play with." He dropped down into a whisper, "Judging by the one red eye on the white haired ghoul over there I'd say you're doing much better."

Smiling, Haise brought the conversation full circle, "You're right Ayato, the woman who was captured by the CCG and is now under my protection is Hinami Fueguchi. I was trying to find a way to save her from Cochlea within the next week before her scheduled execution." Ayato ran towards Haise, and stood at eye level with him.

"I acted brash and Hinami payed the price for both your and my safety; we have to save her." The teen looked down, hiding the traces of tears threatening to spill. "I could never forgive myself if I let her die." 

Snapping his fingers Shuu looked over city. "Gentlemen, most ghouls when captured are transported to jails, the closest jail of high security is Cochlea. Kanae, our family and servants, along with my sweet little Hinami are most likely incarcerated there." The fighting could still be heard below, Haise could hear his radio asking for coordinates, a check, but he did not care. Walking over to the ledge of the rooftop and looking down its many stories Shuu continued his speech, "I say we raid the most impenetrable area known to man and ghoul alike."


	13. Re:Lease

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Inside Cochlea, Hinami finds a friend who may be able to help her.

Re:lease

Inside Cochlea a young woman sat in a pristine white room. Many did, and many others awaited the same fate. She sat, back up against the wall while she reread the story quietly; it may have been dark but enough light filtered in through the door's bars to see.

With each turn of the already explored page the air was dryer, the ground was harder, and she was filled with hunger. When was the last time they had fed her? Marking the page she hid the book with the rest of her contraband and walked to the door. "Hey! Ghouls do not need to eat as often as humans, but we still need to eat!" Jumping up and latching onto the door she gazed through the bars, her petite nose poked through. The guards seemed to be preoccupied and filling out a huge stack of forms, paying her no heed she looked around the rest of the cells. "New arrivals then." 

'There must have been a successful raid...' She thought to herself, 'I hope Ayato is not among them.' 

He wouldn't last a week in here, she surmised. Letting go of the bars and dropped back down to the floor she continued to fill the silence with her thoughts.

'Yeah, he'd try to break out on the first day, or kill a guard and get himself experimented upon.' 

Such was the fate of ghouls which proved to be too dangerous in Cochlea. The cell's occupant to her right had been executed yesterday for that very reason, 'There must be a new guy then.' Walking over to the desired wall she banged on the metal dividing the prisoners. 

"Hello?" She called out, "Is anyone in there." 

"Yes, someone is in here." It sounded like an adult male. "Hello to you as well. Tell me, is there any way to get some entertainment here? Otherwise this place is going to kill me of boredom before the investigators can!" He chuckled at his own joke, the laughter contagious to Hinami.

"No, not even crosswords." Lowering her voice she continued to ask questions about this man, she was bored. "Do you like stories Mister?" 

"Not as much as my son, but I know some good ones which really happened from my father." The voice was becoming more interesting by the minute!

"That sounds cool! My favorite author used to be Tatsuki Sen, but after getting to know her I decided to look for new authors."

"Sometimes your hero is not who they claim to be." The voice replied. It sounded like an older male. Like her dad once sounded when he was not nervous.

"Sometimes they don't know their own role in this story called life." It seemed like everyone she knew wanted to be the hero, and pushed forward in their own campaigns when they could just savor the world as it was. It might be a broken world, but it was worth living in. Ayato, Kaneki, Touka, her comrades; why couldn't they just enjoy what little life which was given to them?

Even within the confines of Chochlea she should say there were those outside who had it worse. 

"Those words are wise, how old are you? you sound so young to be here in Cochlea." 

"QUIET IN THERE!" The voice came from outside their cells. The guards had taken notice. Boo, party poopers.

"My name is Hinami Fueguchi. I am seventeen, but don't get me wrong; I'm tough!" She whispered, hoping this new friend would hear. 

"Mirumo." The voice replied. "My son knew someone by that name, I believe."

"Any last name? Unless he worked for Aogiri I doubt I would know him." 

"Aogiri for one so young? Wow, kids these days just keep getting stronger! My son's name is Shuu, and I'm the head of the Taukiyama Household. No need for secrecy now that it'll be all over the papers tomorrow morning." 

"Tsukiyama! You're flower man's father!" 

"Well, he might be a bit, no tad, well he might be feminine but I wouldn't go so far- ah he's a flower." The voice said merrily. 

"You're like family to me then! Shuu traveled with us for about two years while he was trying to court my big brother Kaneki!" 

"Kaneki? He's the investigator." 

"So you've met him now? The CCG did something to him, and no matter how hard I try I can't make him remember!" 

The voice from the other cell did not respond for a couple minutes. "My son was like that for a while as well, but don't worry; while the investigator was there when I was captured, if they meet, I am sure their bond will be strong enough to bring Kaneki back." 

"I hope so." Mirumo tapped on the other side of the cell. 

"I might have come peacefully, but Ms. Hinami I have a plan for myself and my servants; you could easily be fit in. Want to take a chance?" There was some shifting from the other cell. 

"THAT'S ENOUGH, I HAVE TO TEACH YOU BEASTS TO BE QUIET!" Yelled the guard coming closer. Step, step, step, step;

"I'm dead in less than a week anyway." The guard came closer to the door, and through the steel bars Hinami could see the glint of a syringe. She hoped that the guard did not hear the details of the conversation with Shuu's father, any sign of obstinance was met with beatings, any signs of attack was met with death. As the cell next to her was opened, she listened for what cries were sure to follow from Mr. Tsukiyama. 

"AHHHHHH!" It was not the middle aged man's voice, but the hoarse cry of the guard followed by the squishing sound of leather shoes in blood. A few seconds later a jingling noise came from the otherwise of her cell door. The latch came undone and the quinque steel rose for the first time in a week, fluorescent light blinding her she saw Mirumo. He had a quinque similar to Shuu, a long blade curling around his arm. It however resembled a broadsword and not a rapier. 

"Here, because I came willingly they gave me a low dose of tranquilizer; it has worn off but I am still a feeble old man. I shall need your help." Rising to her feet Hinami left the cold metal cell, the green tiled floor the first color she had seen for quite some time. 

"Well, I wouldn't say feeble- you were able to take that guard out quickly." As soon as she was out he threw half the set of keys to her.

"I'm sure you'd have done the same. Now, let's free some ghouls." The sirens began to blare, alerting investigators to the plot being hatched. "I guess the Tsukiyama Group and Aogiri were connected, even if I did not realize it." Mirumo said with the smile of a proud father, "Let's open some cells." 

They set to work freeing cell after cell as CCG members poured in. There was nothing to lose other than life at this point- still a rather big loss but everyone met their end eventually. They might go down, but this time they wouldn't surrender without a fight. .


	14. Re:Connect

Re:connect

The group charged out the building, which was surrounded by investigators except in one place. On the Southern exit of the building, thanks to the radio reports from Haise's headset. Squads Ito and Quinx were in battle with the ghoul Noro, and not that far away Ihei Hairu was fighting the ghoul Matsumae. If they could slip by the intense battles quickly not only might they save a few lives but escape the Lunar Eclipse. 

The sounds of kagune meeting quinque could be heard from the next room, Haise motioned for Shuu and the group to put their backs to the wall and wait. First they would find the Qs, then they would find Matsumae. It was not an easy choice for any of them; four more pairs of hands were a welcome asset to their team, an older sister figure was something irreplaceable to Shuu and Kanae. It had taken a lot of convincing to get Takizawa to move with them, "But Eto said-" still the promises of meeting Akira and freedom were tempting enough for the ghoul to come along. 

Ayato just wanted to get the hell out of there and save Hinami or die trying. She was kind, sweet, a ray of sunshine in the darkness that was Aogiri. To see that light snuffed out would be something he could not survive.

Creeping forward with caution Haise saw Saiko releasing her kagune on Noro as Shizaru and Mitsuki held him down with theirs. Kuki was checking for a pulse on the bodies of Nezu and Umeno, along with a few other investigators. Kuki Urie is smart, he should know a goner when when he sees one. 

For being the most lethargic member of the Quinx squad, and constantly berated for her poor diet, she was raw power when it came to her kagune. While other Qs trained to polish their techniques Saiko just had to save enough energy to release her strength when the team most desperately needed it. The price of her power left her defenseless, but she knew when it was time to act.

That moment was now.

The explosive power of her attack hit Noro, its blunt, massive form with cyst like appendages slicing his body in half as if it were butter. It was Shirazu who spoke first.

"Are you alright Saiko?" Her labored breathing answered his question enough for an answer. Mitsuki let his kagunes return to his side.

"Did we kill it?" He asked tentatively, almost on que the ghoul's body began convulsing on the ground as tendons began connecting his two halves together again. This was nothing like Kanae's regeneration which was curt and to the point, Noro's regeneration was a flourish of skill complete with an offensive move to hinder his attackers. Haise ducked behind the metal wall when he saw the kagune shards shoot from the ghoul's insides; other investigators were not lucky enough to find cover. Kuramoto was one of them, holding his gut as other investigators tried to cling to their lives. 

Looking on at the Qs, Haise found himself holding a twinge of pride that they had grown so much, that they could dodge an attack which had taken out so many. Haise prepared himself to step in at any moment. He watched Kuki speak briefly to one of the few remaining investigators and then to the Qs; Saiko would need time to recover the energy to release her kagune again, they'd buy her that time. 

Mitsuki rushed forward on the left with his two kagunes ready as Kuki distracted Noro from the right. Shirazu leaped behind the Aogiri ghoul and used his quinque 'Nuts' to ensnare Noro who could do little against the exploding weapon. Noro's body once again crumpled to the floor, and although investigators could be heard pleading for Noro to not rise again they knew this was not the end of their battle. The corpse once again surged with life, and Haise knew that this time he would have to step in. As Noro's kagunes began to pierce both metal and flesh alike Shirazu blindly charged in. 

'What is he thinking?' Haise mentally screamed, 'He'll get himself killed!' Rushing past Saiko and Mitsuki Haise flared his kagunes. Although it was the time span of a few seconds, time seemed to slow down as he passed Kuki who was trying desperately to get up; he was within ten feat of the beast when Shirazu began to barrage the beast. Noro faltered for a moment, but no victory comes without a loss. 

"Urie, was my attack enough?" He yelled at the top of his lungs, blood seeped from the wound in his chest, and Haise could tell that Shirazu needed medical attention. He needed it fast. Charging forward filled with rage Haise felt the pressure of the white haired spirit upon his back. 

'Make those who hurt our family pay.' 

Haise did not need to be told twice. Stabbing into Noro he was soon joined by a renewed Kuki. Many knew that it was Kuki Urie's goal to surpass Haise in strength, but at this moment it seemed that he would. While his mentor fought with the anger of a mother he fought with the vengeance of a lover. Shirazu could not die, he had a sister waiting for him, people who depended on him. Shirazu was warm chips on a cold winter day, he was the rainbow after the storm, he was the feast after the war. 

'Our emotions make us stronger.' The spirit said mournfully. 'Rage, happiness, hate, love; a ghoul's state of mind changes them.' 

All Haise could do was nod. 

Kuki had lost many things in his life, his mother, his father's love. He attacked the beast which had taken his comrades, hardly paying attention to Haise (where did he come from and why had he waited so long?) as he focused on his target. 

"You can't die Shirazu..." 

It was almost a mantra, a hopeful prayer for the safety of the only joy Kuki had allowed to enter his life. It had been annoying to watch Shirazu pop up 'coincidentally' at his regular hangouts. It was weird to see the other man come to his door one night with concert tickets. It had been his fault when Kuki found his walls crumbling to the person who took the second highest ranking position in their squad. 

It had been Shirazu's fault that Kuki Urie fell in love for the first time. 

Eventually, Kuki found himself stabbing only the decapitated body of Noro; this time it didn't move, the body had finally stilled. Haise looked at him with concern and the only thing Kuki could do was punch his mentor.

"Why the fuck did you get here so late!" But that did not concern him when he heard a weak voice call out from behind them.

"Kuki, Sassan... I want to see you..." Mitsuki was cradling Shirazu's head as Saiko fruitlessly tried to staunch the bleeding. 

"We're here Shirazu. We're here." Haise held Shirazu's hand as he felt it growing colder by the second, blood circulation failing. He looked to the ghouls hiding in the corner, if they could do anything they had to!

"Lower his head!" Yelled Kuki, more blood needed to get to the heart and brain or... He didn't want to even think of the possibility. "Where the fuck is the medical squad?" If they didn't get here soon he was personally going to murder them. 

"Don't die Shirazu!" Saiko was blubbering as Mitsuki tried to do both medical jobs at once. "Your sister's name is Haru, right? You have to live Shirazu! She'll die if you don't live!" He wasn't going to die, he couldn't. 

Out of the corner of his eye he could see the ghoul he fought from the Auction peering at them from the hallway. "Why the fuck are they here, did you fucking switch sides on us you prick!" The accusation did not sit well with the other two Qs, both looked fearful at the prospect of another fight so soon. Mitsuki was absolutely livid seeing the lilac haired ghoul in the distance. 

"Wait." Haise put his hand up before the Qs could act. "This is not the time or place for more fighting, Shirazu is injured and needs help." Kuki nodded fervently as Mitsuki and Saiko returned to their efforts with only mild glaring.

"So, are you saying they have some form of Doctor on hand in the middle of a battle?" Was this guy for real? Did Haise get hit over the head so hard he could not think straight?

"Yes, we do actually." It was a boy around Saiko's age with indigo hair who spoke. "He might be a bit of a crackpot, but given what you are he would never miss the chance to fix your friend up. He's do it at the cost of an examination." 

The white haired ghost gave Haise a look, 'It's too good to be true. Do not trust that Doctor.' Kuki Snapped him out of his trance by grabbing his arm. 

"Asshole, I don't trust ghouls in the slightest, but I'll do anything to save Shirazu." Even give up his future at the CCG, all chances for promotion, the pay, the acknowledgement his father had never given him; anything to save Shirazu. 

Mitsuki looked down at His friend who began to shake, his body chilled by the loss of blood. "Shirazu, can you hear me? We're getting you help." 

"Where are you guys? I can't see, I can't hear!" Holding Shirazu down Mitsuki gave a pleading look at the ghoul which had kidnapped him before. He would go, if only for his friend. He would go, and if there were any signs of double crossing he would strike.

"Kanae," another voice came from the hallway, "you should take Haise's squad to this doctor." Another purple haired ghoul emerge and spoke softly to the other. Shuu whispered to his cousin in a soft voice, "Do not let anything happen to them. We need allies more than enemies right now." Nodding to Shuu Kanae walked towards the group.

"We have to stop his bleeding if we want to transport him. I have rapid regeneration so if I place an injured part of me inside his wound it should stop the bleeding for at most ten minutes. After those ten minutes his blood vessels will swell and burst because of the pressure," turning towards her former enemies Kanae gave her orders. "If you want your friend to live, you'll do exactly as I say." 

Kuki looked at Shirazu, his love's eyes loosing their shine, breath growing weak. He hated this ghoul, the person who had captured Mitsuki and traumatized him, the person who had tried to stab Saiko. Still, now this person was offering help, and even if it was from an unknown, hostile source he wasn't going to sniff a gift fish. 

"We'll go, no funny business." Best to watch his mouth around a rich asshole, stuck up pricks.

"Lassen sie uns abfälle platz gehen." The ghoul walked forward, turned around, and stopped. "Ugh, let's go." She brought out her kagune and sliced the top of her hand off, causing the RC cells to activate. 

"I hope he's my blood type," Kanae said sticking the wounded hand into the wound. As gory as it was, it stopped the bleeding. Shirazu's RC cells kept Kanae's regeneration process going, allowing for a few brief minutes of relative safety. Mitsuki held Shirazu up by the shoulders while Kuki grabbed him by his knees. Together the group raced down the hall towards the back exit. 

Saiko alone remained. "Maman, I need to rest. I'd just slow them down." Breathing deeply she continued. "May I tag along?" She looked at the group behind Haise. "Who are they Maman?"

"In case you're worried about your friends, they should be alright." Said the white haired ghoul. "I'm Takizawa by the way Blueberry." Although he chewed on his fingers, he was sated for now. 

"I'm not a blueberry." Takizawa began to pick at his nails again.

"I'm Ayato. You really call this guy-" he pointed at Haise, "mom? He's brutal!" 

"It's because he acts like a mom with how much he dotes on us." She said giggling. 

"You know, it's a trait he has always exhibited." A man who looked similar to the ghoul from the Auction said. "I'm Shuu by the way. Tsukiyama Shuu." He watched as Saiko balked at his audacity. "The other ghoul is my cousin Kanae. Don't worry, he is loyal and kind to those who show him loyalty." 

"Really guys, stop referring to me as mom." Haise had a slight tint of red on his face (paralleled by a devilish smirk by Shuu). "Now that names are out of the way, Saiko you can stay but I don't want you, or the rest of the Quinx to get involved in what I'm about to do. It is crazy, it is stupid. I might die; I could never forgive myself if you all took the fall with me." 

"What is it Maman?" She asked. 

"We are going to break into Cochlea to save the female ghoul, Hinami Fueguchi who saved me almost two months ago." 

That surprised Saiko, the cogs in her head began turning. If she went with Haise she'd be branded a traitor, her mom would stop getting her monthly checks, and she'd most likely miss her favorite manga's new release. If she left Haise he could die, and the Qs might still be terminated as a project, deemed unstable, disbanded, and eliminated. 

The CCG would never tolerate any weapon which hindered its wielder. Be it a single defective piece or entire batch. Besides, the CCG had been taking new volunteers for the operation; the CCG would (most likely) be able to replace the current Qs at any time within the next month.

"I'm going with you." Haise looked angry for a moment, no he would not let her come. Shuu put his hand on Haise's shoulder. 

"Haise, we have all been through too much tonight, and even though it has been long the journey will continue. We need as many hands as possible." Turning towards his boyfriend Haise huffed in agreement at the statement. "The other ones you are so fond of are meeting with a member of Aogiri, and although there is only one doctor I know of within their group- trust me I don't trust him; these kids are already involved. If we leave this petite bluebell alone she will surely be swarmed by flies." 

"Saiko, you can come. I don't want you fighting any humans though; you have a chance to be human. I lost mine long ago." He hugged the tired girl, she was so similar to Hinami, but at the same time was entirely herself. Crazy, happy go lucky, silly Saiko.

"Yeah, as much as this is entertaining, can we get going?" It was Ayato. Nodding in agreement the group walked stealthily down the hallway. 

Sounds of battle turned to a darkened silence as bodies had to be moved to carry on. Ghoul, investigator, death did not care. They passed the corpse of the famed Kijima and a middle aged ghoul with shoulder length hair. 

"Mairo..." Haise winced at the pain in Shuu's voice. "He was a family servant for years... He basically raised... Matsumae!" 

Out of all the bodies left in that hallway, one stood out.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Reconnect end notes 
> 
> "So... You're the guy who was sending Mama all those flowers, coffee beans, and took him out to the book store." Shuu nodded to Saiko's question. 
> 
> "And you love my Mama?" 
> 
> "The epitome of devotion." Saiko looked into the man's eyes, they were sad yet hopeful. 
> 
> "PAPA!" She yelled throwing her arms around his neck smiling. Haise could only watch as Takizawa snickered and Ayato asked himself however he had lost to Kaneki Ken all those years ago.


	15. Re:Gret

Re:gret

What is a knight? A person who saves the day, a person who seeks to protect those they care about, or simply a pawn to be throne around by princes and kings? The Tsukiyamas had a knight, she had taught Shuu how best to use his Koukaku, she had instilled upon him an interest in foreign culture apart from language. She was controlled, able to be a high class ghouls surrounded by weak minded young human students day in and day out. She was a pinnacle of strength, both mental and physical. Yet she lay on her side, crumpled and without a breath. Her heals broken, her hair lopped off at odd angles, her tailored suit torn, her eyes gorged out and her head bleeding. She looked so vulnerable, it was unreal. It couldn't be.

She couldn't.

"Matsumae!" With renewed speed Shuu dashed over to his teacher, his friend. He did not need to check for breath. But he did anyway. The wounds would be healing with static electricity if she were still among the living. But he searched for a pulse without success.

The CCG would not of left her living. Shuu knew this. But they had been tactical enough to realize that Kaneki, Haise, was valuable. That they could afford to take the risk to keep him on a leash. 

Matsumae was not valuable to the CCG. She had been a thorn in their side for too long. 

A one eyed ghoul was good enough to become Arima's living weapon. 

A regular ghoul was better off dead. 

"Shuu..." Haise came closer slowly, still in pain from the fight, emotionally and physically drained. He knew what it felt like to lose someone- he had lost so many. If Hinami wasn't in harm's way right now he would be helping carry Shirazu to the 'doctor.' The very idea of the man left a foul taste in his mouth. Disgust; yes, that would be the correct word. Haise did not know the man, but as the memories slowly came back, as the ghost slowly unraveled before him, a feeling of unease increased.

'Shuu let them go to him.' The spirit was slowly dissipating in the air above, a grim visage. Although it was simply dust, is was reminiscent of a body decomposing. 'I know that they'll be able to get out of that laboratory. Kanou is still a human. Shuu, A few other people, and I were able to break in when we were weaker.' 

'I met the man before?' 

'He is the cause of our pain.' The ghost cracked its knuckles, a sickening sound which reverberated around the room. 

Brief flashes overtook Haise's mind for a moment, or an eternity. A man who was skinny in a disgusting pale cream suit. Two twins of grand size. The man with an amazing shaving job for a beard. Hinami's cheer when she finally finished her first book at age thirteen. 

Shuu, oh god Shuu. The man was bawling beside him and Haise-Kaneki was too absorbed in his own self to recognize the pain in his voice. Throwing caution to the wind Haise dropped to his knees and enveloped Shuu in a hug as the man cried. "Her eyes," the heir mourned. "Her beautiful gray eyes." 

Rolling the woman over, it was apparent that the woman had been alive when her eyes had been gorged out. The blood crusted around the edges meant she knew the pain. A cowardly move, but looking at the surrounding bodies it appeared the CCG had little choice. Shuu took off his jacket, the black inner lining a soft silk. With no remorse he tore out the lining, wrapping it around the eyes of the Tsukiyama Knight. Shuu looked out across the room. So many of his friends, so many doves, all of them dead. Mairo was strewn about, his torso and legs separated by an unknown blow. Tycho was nowhere to be seen among the corpses, perhaps he fled the battle before it became too much. 

Voices could be heard in the distance, black boots running up stairs as the advance pursued the heir. Saiko grabbed Haise's arm, "Mama, we need to get going now! Convince Papa that we have to move!" Worry was evident on her face. Ayato looked ready to bolt at any second, and the white haired ghoul in a black bodysuit just sat there dumbly chomping on his fingers. 

"Shuu," Haise held the heir tighter, so that his nose would burrow into his shoulder blade; "You said it yourself- she wanted you to live. They all did." As Shuu looked up Haise smiled genuinely, a sad smile, but one which he could call his own. A smile which knew pain, but also devotion. "Shuu, I am getting my memories back, and from what I've seen I don't want to lose you. I've seen you make Hinami so happy with the simple gift of a dress, I cut her hair and we were a family. I'm sorry that at the time I did not trust you enough to let you into the group, into my heart- but I'm here now. For you, and your family." Shuu buried his nose deeper into the familiar scent. 

"I will live, and be happy- it was her last wish." Wracking sobs took the man, "but I always imagined her to be here. You never think you could lose someone- until you do!" Shuu looked to the side, taking in one last intoxicating huff of Haise's scent. Did the man remember what it did to him? Was this simply a kindness or more pain? The small half ghoul was too endearing for anyone's good. "We have to leave." 

It was painful, but Matsumae would never forgive him for dying. She would be remembered- by her students, coworkers, bosses, and Shuu. Mairo was there beside her in their final fight, perhaps he tried to save her. 

Would they be able to save Hinami, would she be free by the end of the night? Or would they die like Matsumae and Mairo, one after the other on a cold concrete floor?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Maybe one day, he'd honor his teacher in the best way possible.


	16. Re:Luctance

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> While a battle rages on between doves and ghouls, a battle is played out between the resolve of a lover, and the opposing nature of those waiting for a sign.

Re:Luctance

Kuki Urie was not a man who trusted people, there were a select few however who were exceptions to this rule. Mitsuki was kind, yet he was predictable. Not predictable in the sense that he was a boring person, but that he was accountable, reliable. For all his faults, Urie had to admit that Mitsuki's a truly caring person who cares- and that counts for something in this world where everyone only cares about their next meal. When people would talk down the twin tailed bluenette, Urie would be there to show them who's boss. Saiko could be trusted to rise to the occasion when the team needed her. The girl sacrificed her health and social life to become the world's greatest glass cannon- although escaping her abusive mother might of also been a deciding factor there. Sasaki was a wild card who would risk his life for his friends without a second though. A person who radiated fear, anxiety; a man who bit his nails and gulped his coffee like a college girl who hadn't seen a Star Bucks in months. Shirazu was the group's lucky idiot who's fortune might just reach its end in a couple minutes. Urie was the lucky idiot who fell for him.

Kuki Urie could not bring himself to face the possibilities those minutes could hold.

The group had been able to enter the deserted building on the west side of the city fairly easily. Too easily for his liking. Who was this doctor and why was he willing to help? Kanae pulled an iron bound door back with her good hand, a single fluorescent light buzzed on the ceiling. The area was dirty, and most of the equipment looked to be in need of a good sterilization. Laying Shirazu on the table, Kanae took a moment to rest her arm. 

"Seidou told me about this doctor when he helped to remove some of my stitches." The ghoul held her lips, small marks dotting her mouth. "The man is a creep, but he is at least good at what he does." Kanae began to look around the room, searching for something. Mitsuki still wavered in the back of the room, hating his prior experience with the ghoul. 

"So where the fuck is this doctor?" Urie held Shirazu, petting his head. The fool had shaved it bald, his once curly locks gone. When someone shaves their head, it's often a spur of the moment choice. Shirazu hadn't expected to be so cold in the following weeks, and Urie had taken on the habit of touching that icy dome whenever he could. He still hated it though. 

"I'm looking for him." Kanae began to grasp on the walls, bulling at loose boards." 

"We're on a timer here." Looking around the room, Kuki grasped Shizaru's cooling hand. "Stay with us you bastard, you have a sister to come home to." Inside, Urie continued that thought. 'And me,' the words he did not, could not say. On the far wall Kanae found a board which easily came away, and opened up to another room. The subtle clacking of shoes upon tile floor could be heard drawing closer. Rounding the corner an old man with white hair smiled benevolently at the group. 

"Ah, children, you have caught me at the perfect time. I have just finished helping another patient and they are resting right now." Although the elderly man's expression was kind, Kuki found himself clenching his fist. By the smell of it, this was a human covered in ghoul blood. Why was a human with Aogiri? He had little time for these questions however, as the good doctor strode right up to the waining Shirazu. He reached a hand under the Qs back, feeling for where the kagune would be released in battle. 

"What are you doing?" The voice of Mitsuki came, reminding Kuki that there were more people out there who were just as concerned over Shirazu's state. 

"Do not worry, this is completely professional." Pulling up a chair the aged man extracted a needle from his left breast pocket, and stabbed it into the exposed flesh currently reconstructing itself. Mitsuki ran forward, but was stopped when the doctor raised his hand. "This will make it so his pain is lessened. I would never dream of harming a patient after all," the man explained. "It's always for the benefit of humanity. Hippocratic Oath and all." From the same pocket, the doctor procured a scalpel and began to cut into Shirazu's shoulder, who's breath was now shallow and weak. 

"I'm watching you." Kuki stated. The doctor began to examine the patient's body. He could not shake the sense of wrong surrounding this situation, however he was at the mercy of this unnamed man. He could not lose Shirazu, if he left he would lose Shirazu, and Shirazu could not loose his life; he wouldn't allow it. 

"This will be only a minor operation. I must admit that Doctor Shiba's use of quinque steel to control RC cells is an astounding feat. If only I had more time to document it..." 

"We're wasting time!" How could this man sit around and act so peacefully while someone was bleeding out in front of them? 

"Alright, I see that. It would be simply tragic for your friend to die." The man leaned to the side, resting on one arm. A smug look told all on what parts of his face where uncovered by the surgical mask, he knew he had the power here. The good doctor was toying with them, playing God. "I am going to be removing part of the steel surrounding the organ transplant releasing RC cells. The Ukaku Kagune allows for quick attacks, and crystallization of RC cells. Should the inhibitor be released it should allow the body to naturally crystallize the wound much faster than he would be able to at this point." 

Kuki's eyes widened. Doctor Shiba had pulled strings to get Urie the nutrition he needed after the botched operation he had undertaken to gain more power months ago. By nutrition- the young man didn't even want to think about it. He didn't want to think about the person, or people inside of him. Their lives, their families. It was enough to make him want to start a veganism movement. Meals with the squad missed, awkward explanations on dates with Shirazu. The candy shop disaster, really how was he supposed to resist the allure of sugary sweets? "How much?"

How much would Shirazu share in his fate? He had walked into this hell with open arms for power- not life; his coworker, friend, and lover's choice was not his own but Urie's.

Was this the right thing to do? On one hand Shirazu wanted to be able to see his sister recover, to get better. He wanted to help protect people from ghouls, and after the Nuts Case he wanted to find out more about ghouls themselves. How did ghouls live? Could they love? They could certainly feel pain, remorse, and fear- much more than what they had been taught at the academy. On the other hand Shirazu would lose his humanity, he would be forced to live a half life at times. He would be on the run, and most likely unable to see his sister grow up. How would she react if she lost her older brother, her only family? 

Was a person better off dead than as a ghoul?

"I will remove 1/3 of the remaining steel; while I operate I would prefer to only have no people in the room." The man looked towards the group, motioning for Kanae and Mitsuki to exit, but Urie stood defiant.

Urie was scared. Scared that not only he was going to lose a person who was close to him, but that he would lose a bond that came so slowly. It had taken time, it had taken pestering, but Shirazu had wheedled his way into Urie's heart like a parasite in a moose's intestines. 

"Like hell I'd walk out on him." Urie remained where he was seated. He would remain by Shirazu's side. He would deal with Shirazu's anger, betrayal, and hurt when he woke up. It was not an 'if' anymore. 

"Then, I'd like the other two to wait outside." Kanou pointed to Mitsuki and Kanae, both grimacing at the thought of remaining in the dismal hallway together while Shirazu could loose his life, and Shuu may be lost to Haise.

"What? No, I refuse to wait outside with-" Mitsuki was cut off by Urie. 

"Please." He did not ask for much, too proud and too self aware to be put into a position where he was at another's mercy. The same could not be said about the man on the table however, and only for his sake Urie asked. 

Who was Mitsuki to say no? Besides, if they moved the doctor and ghoul into different rooms it would be easier to defeat them if they turned against the remaining Quinx. 

'Deep breaths, you can do this Mitsuki. Don't let him scare you like he did before. Ignore his eyes, ignore it all.' In one fluid movement Mitsuki had turned and left the room. "Coming?" 

The lilac haired ghoul followed in his creepy silence. Mitsuki left the life of his comrade, and friend in the hands of the enemy.

Well, not entirely. Kiku Urie was in there and Kiku Urie was not a man who trusted people. He would be ready for anything. 

Mitsuki counted on that as he sat in the hallway with his once attacker. The ghoul stood eight feet from him, shifting from side to side in an agitated manner. Kanae would tap her feet against the hard tile floor, a constant rapping echoing through the decrepit halls.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There was blood in the tiled floor of the hallway. It permitted and dried in almost every crack. The lilac haired ghouls continued to tap his foot on the ground. 
> 
> "Could you please stop." 
> 
> "Why?"
> 
> "I'm worried and your tapping is only making it worse." 
> 
> "..."
> 
> "Well?"
> 
> "I'm nervous, and tapping is the only thing which is calming right now."


End file.
